NEW PALTZ- The Jewish Congregation of New Paltz (JCNP) has been named a recipient of major funding to decarbonize energy consumption in its Synagogue building.
JCNP was one of twenty regional non-profits and select municipalities, out of seventy applicants, to be tapped by Partners for Climate Action Hudson Valley (PCA) for energy and engineering studies or infrastructure installation projects. The grant awarded to JCNP will be used for insulating the hundred year old structure, installing heat pumps and replacing the old air conditioning and oil-based heating systems.
PCA’s Selection Committee focused on applicants estimating the amount of lowered greenhouse gas emissions (measured in metric tons of CO2 equivalent), a standard used to calculate pollution causing climate change. The PCA-funded projects will result in an estimated reduction of over 750 metric tons of CO2, the equivalent of nearly 200 gas-guzzling cars in a year. The grant application was submitted by the Synagogue’s volunteer Green Committee, which includes a number of local green energy activists and a sustainable energy expert who calculated the required critical metrics.
Green Committee Chair Wendy Rudder said, “The committee worked to have an energy audit done, choose a project, meet with contractors for estimates, and finally choosing the best contractors to do the install. We are “kvelling” (warmly boasting) that we won this grant, which helps our Synagogue decrease carbon emissions and save money, but also fights global warming.”
As per the application, the Synagogue has committed to becoming a “demonstration project” for the public once completed, so that everyone can learn about green energy incentives and actually see the benefits of decarbonizing buildings. It should be noted that this was the first phase of an on-going effort by PCA to facilitate decarbonization projects, and they envision future rounds of funding.
Interested parties are encouraged to visit www.climateactionhv.org/
