Board of Estimate & Contract:
RESOLVED, that an ordinance adopted by the City Council on May 28, 2025, and signed by the Acting Mayor on May 28, 2025, authorizing the Mayor to Execute a Letter of Commitment with ARUP in Support of a Natural Solutions Innovation Challenge Sponsored by NYSERDA - (the City's participation in this initiative shall not require any financial contribution or expenditure of funds. The City's role will be limited to providing relevant data, engaging in project-related workshops, and offering input to ensure local applicability of the tools developed); be, and the same is hereby approved.
City Council:
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR
TO EXECUTE A LETTER OF COMMITMENT
WITH ARUP IN SUPPORT OF A NATURAL
CARBON SOLUTIONS INNOVATION
CHALLENGE SPONSORED BY NYSERDA
Whereas, by letter dated May 20, 2025, the Commissioner of the Department of Planning & Community Development has requested authorization for Mayor to execute a Letter of Commitment with ARUP, in substantially the same form as presented to the Council, to support ARUP's submission to NYSERDA's Natural Carbon Solutions Innovation Challenge and participate in the Urban Heat Island Mitigation Study; and
Whereas, the City of Mount Vernon recognizes the increasing challenges posed by climate change, including the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect that disproportionately affects urban areas with limited green space and higher average temperatures; and
Whereas, ARUP, an internationally recognized environmental and engineering consulting firm, is preparing a grant application to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) as part of its Natural Carbon Solutions Innovation Challenge; and
Whereas, the proposed project seeks to develop a web-based application capable of conducting cost-benefit analyses to support municipal infrastructure investments aimed at reducing the effects of UHI through strategies such as tree planting, green...
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