The Capital District Regional Planning Commission celebrates the winners of the 2022 Erastus Corning, 2nd Achievement Awards for Intermunicipal Cooperation

The Erastus Corning, 2nd Achievement Awards for Intermunicipal Cooperation recognize municipalities and organizations whose efforts have significantly contributed to the advancement of intermunicipal and interagency cooperation and regional planning. The awards ceremony took place in Albany on Thursday, October 27th, 2022. The award-winning initiatives, municipalities and organizations include:

For Implementation of Bus Rapid Transit: Capital District Transportation Authority

The Bus Rapid Transit provides limited stop service along the busiest travel corridors in the Capital Region. These sleek, efficient buses serve large, comfortable stations and enhanced customer amenities. CDTA has branded BRT service as ‘BusPlus’ with distinctive signage that signifies premium service including stations, real time information and complimentary Wi-Fi service.

Thanks to Ross Farrell and Jeremy Smith from CDTA.

For The Schenectady County Solar Energy Consortium: Schenectady County and & DSD Renewables

Schenectady County, with contractor DSD Renewables, recently completed the last of the seven solar arrays commissioned through the Schenectady County Solar Energy Consortium. This last facility, along the Thruway at Rynex Corners Road in Rotterdam, is one of the most powerful of the seven, rated at 4.5 megawatts.

The seven installations total about 25 megawatts of capacity, enough to power all operations by the county, city and town governments.

Thanks to Rory Fluman, Schenectady County.

For the Albany County Community Sustainability Challenge: Albany County, Solarize Albany, Heat Smart Capital Region, and the Capital District Transportation Committee

Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy launched the Albany County Community Sustainability Challenge in 2021. The Community Sustainability Challenge builds on the County’s recent designation as one of the State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Climate Smart Communities by providing County residents with streamlined, affordable ways to go green. The Challenge includes three Community Campaigns approved by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) focused on community solar, clean heating and cooling, and electric vehicles.

Thanks to Lucas Rogers, Bill Reinhardt from Albany County and Christina Bohnsack from Capital District Community Energy.

The awards are named in honor of CDRPC’s first Chairman, Erastus Corning, 2nd, Mayor of the City of Albany from 1942-1983, and recognize initiatives that involved at least two local jurisdictions or entities within the four-county region. Nominations were reviewed by a Committee and evaluated using the following criteria:
The project has achieved significant benefits, efficiency or cost-savings;
Involves two or more local entities, municipalities non-profits etc.;
Community involvement and support.
Degree of innovative solutions to overcome challenges.

For individual awards, the nomination must demonstrate the individual’s significant contribution to advancing intermunicipal partnerships.

The committee included representatives from the Capital District Planners Association, Capital District Transportation Committee, University at Albany Department of Geography and Planning, the New York Planning Federation, New York State Department of State.

This event is made possible in part by generous support from Hodgson Russ, LLP.