Sustainable Bethel
A Climate Smart Community

Making Bethel a More Environmentally Sustainable Community

What is the Bethel Green Committee?

The Bethel Green Committee is a group of volunteers and Town Board members, appointed by the Town Supervisor, who investigate opportunities and provide suggestions to the Town Board aimed at conserving energy, moving to renewable energy sources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and otherwise making Bethel a more environmentally sustainable community.

What are some of the Committee’s Accomplishments to Date?      

• Encouraged the Town to participate in the “Climate Smart Community” program launched by NYS’ Department of Environmental Conservation. By implementing Climate Smart Community “Action Items” outlined by the DEC, the Town earns points towards Certification status. We’re over half the way there with 68 out of 120 points!  Certification demonstrates that Bethel has reduced its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy costs (saving taxpayer money in the process), and makes the Town eligible for significant State funding to take on even more projects.
• Completed a Local Government Operations GHG inventory which is an accounting, analysis and baseline report of the GHG emissions resulting from the day-to-day operations of the Town government’s operations. The inventory will be used as a baseline for developing climate mitigation strategies and as a benchmark for tracking the Town’s progress for GHG reductions.
• Worked for over five months to craft, and successfully enact, a widely praised solar installation law for the Town encouraging roof and ground mounted solar installations, balanced with appropriate set-backs, height, de-accessioning requirements and other protections for the Town and adjoining landowners.
• Secured NYSERDA funding to help undertake energy audits of Town Hall, Highway Barn and Wastewater Treatment Plant which suggested energy conservation measures for those facilities.
• Participated in the Mid-Hudson Valley Street Lighting Consortium, evaluating the purchase of the Town’s street lights along with the aggregate purchase and conversion to LED street lighting, potentially saving the Town significant money.
• Secured a Federal EPA screening study—at no cost!-evaluating the Town’s capped landfill as a potential site for a ground solar installation. We learned that this is a favorable site to support solar PV generation and economic viable reuse of this otherwise unusable Town property.
• Installed electric vehicle recharging station in the hamlet of  Kauneonga Lake at the municipal parking lot located at 3586 Route 55, Kauneonga Lake, NY 12749 near restaurant row.

How Can You Participate?

If you’d like to join the Committee, please reach out to Supervisor Sturm. We will post our progress, especially as we expand our work from government sustainability measures to community sustainability measures. And if you support our efforts, please let the Town Supervisor and Board know.
Publication Date:  11/6/2017

Bethel Installs EV Charging Station for public use


11/6/2017 - Bethel resident Eric London among the first to use the town's newly installed recharging station located in the town's municipal lot and conveniently near restaurant row.

The station is part of the Chargepoint network and can be accessed by anyone with the appropriate Chargepoint account.  Charging is free for the first few months of operation.

The installation of the EV charging station will allow the Town to apply for designation as a New York State Clean Energy Community.

According to Supervisor Daniel Sturm,” The EV station is an important step forward for Bethel.  We have established ourselves as a leader in the move to create a more energy efficient and climate friendly environment in Bethel and across Sullivan County.  We also anticipate that it will lead to increased visitation to local businesses and thereby help to stimulate the local economy”

The Town of Bethel Green Committee is working on a number of important renewable energy projects, including:  the development of a solar array on the capped Town of Bethel landfill, changing streetlights over to more cost-efficient LED technology, and purchase of an electric vehicle and the development of a Green Fleets policy for town vehicles.