We are thrilled and proud to announce that the Town of Bethlehem has earned the elite Climate Smart Communities Silver Certification. This is the highest sustainability level recognized by NYS Dept of Environmental Conservation. With this award, the Town of Bethlehem joins just 18 other silver communities in New York State that are demonstrating local leadership through their commitment to advancing climate actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve community resilience. This certification was awarded based on the many actions the Town of Bethlehem has taken including:

• Conserving nearly 700 acres of open space over the last seven years

• Expanding the Town’s Compost Facility, which is one of the most sophisticated in the state and is the only place for food scraps composting in the Capital Region

• Completing the award-winning Bethlehem Forward Comprehensive Plan Update

• Purchasing electric vehicles for the Town Fleet and installing public charging stations for electric vehicles

• Building a 3.75 MW town-owned solar farm and installing solar panels on the Parks & Recreation administration building

• Improving and expanding infrastructure to support walking and cycling

Congratulations and THANK YOU to Town Supervisor David Van Luven and the Town Board for their strong commitment to sustainability, and to Supervisor Van Luven, Agnes Zellin, and Chris Lennard for their work to successfully showcase the town's important strides to NYS DEC. We are happy to celebrate the Town of Bethlehem's achievements over the last 7+ years, as  recognized by NYS.

July 2025