Climate Smart Task Force members:
Elyse Mason (Co-Chair)
Victoria Mills (Co-Chair, Town Board Liaison)
Nicolas Adams
Marion Bolognesi
Mark Harbick
Becky Meier
Tom Potter
The Task Force meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 7 pm at Canaan Town Hall. Community members are always welcome to attend!
The Canaan Climate Smart Task Force is a volunteer committee of residents working with the Town Board to reduce the town’s carbon footprint, cut energy-related costs and emissions, protect our natural resources and build a healthier and more resilient community.
News from the Climate Smart Task Force
Canaan Climate Smart Task Force at Community Day (June 20)
The Climate Smart Task Force will have a table at Community Day at Stoddard Field. Stop by to meet us and take the recycling challenge. There will be prizes!
Canaan cuts GHGs from municipal buildings by 22% (2024-2025)
Canaan published our latest building energy benchmarking report, showing a 22% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from buildings between calendar 2024 and 2025. This change is primarily due to the installation of energy-efficient heat pumps in Town Hall, which has cut our consumption of heating oil significantly. View the benchmarking report here.
Canaan adopts Heat Emergency Plan (May 2026)
Extremely hot days are happening more frequently and pose risks to people’s health, especially households without access to air conditioning. Canaan’s Heat Emergency Plan establishes coordinated procedures to keep residents safe during heat waves. Read the Town of Canaan’s Heat Emergency Plan here.
Canaan joins Green Purchasing Communities (April 2026)
Canaan is excited to announce that it recently joined New York's Green Purchasing Communities, a program that helps local governments purchase products and services that are better for public health and the environment. The program provides expert guidance on green products in over 100 product categories, along with assistance in making sustainable purchasing decisions cost-effectively.
Community Earth Day (April 2026)
The Climate Smart Task Force hosted our first annual Earth Day event on April 25th. We had a wonderful time connecting with neighbors while beautifying our community space. Volunteers refreshed our native pollinator garden and planted an Eastern Redbud tree in front of Town Hall. A big thank you to Columbia County Soil & Water District for donating the tree!
Canaan installs new EV charging station (November 2025)
Canaan has a new Level 2 EV charging station at Stoddard Field, opposite Town Hall. The station provides charging for residents and visitors with EVs, enables local inns and B&Bs to offer charging to their guests and improves the charging network in Columbia County. The charging rate of $0.35 per kWh is budget-neutral and on par with nearby towns.
Canaan completes clean energy upgrades (July 2025)
Canaan has installed energy-efficient heat pumps at the Town Hall and solar panels on the Highway Garage. The heat pumps provide year-round heating and cooling and enable the Town Hall to serve as a cooling center during heat waves. The solar array powers the building with clean energy and reduces the town’s electricity bills. Both upgrades were fully funded through $110,000 in state grants at no cost to taxpayers. Read more here.
