NEW YORK --- Westchester County and its 45 municipalities have a long history of environmental leadership, but how can local governments continue this trend while protecting and improving their economic base?

Click above to download (.pdf) our 2010 Blueprint for a Greener Westchester CountyThe New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund’s 2010 “Blueprint for a Greener Westchester County” shows how. NYLCVEF’s Blueprint offers detailed transportation, energy efficiency and planning guidance that will help villages, towns, cities and the county government meet their environmental challenges. These recommendations will yield the greatest environmental benefits while costing the least, and in many cases will save taxpayer dollars over the long term.

“A healthy environment and strong economy are keys to Westchester’s future,” said Marcia Bystryn, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund. “By implementing the steps in our Blueprint for a Greener Westchester County, local officials can help achieve the county-wide goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions while encouraging economic growth and protecting Westchester’s high quality of life.”

NYLCVEF’s “Blueprint for a Greener Westchester County” covers five broad policy areas: transportation, energy conservation, sustainable development, natural resource protection and open space preservation. By adopting the detailed recommendations in each of these areas, municipalities can work toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2015, as called for in the Westchester Action Plan for Climate Change and Sustainable Development. The Blueprint also spotlights local examples where these recommendations have been carried out successfully in Westchester County.

To learn more about the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, click here call (212) 361-6350, ext. 205.

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The New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF) engages and educates New Yorkers on environmental issues and the environmental decision-making processes at the local, regional, state and federal government levels. NYLCVEF fosters open, nonpartisan discussion on environmental policy and empowers New Yorkers to be effective advocates on behalf of the environment.