We Must Move Forward

In light of recent natural disasters in our region including heavy rains, flooding and tornados, it is understandable that North Country residents and community leaders are concerned about having reliable and affordable energy sources that can withstand severe weather brought on by climate change.

In our What's Up North Blog, ANCA Clean Energy Director Jill Henck addresses these concerns by defending New York's ambitious and forward-looking Climate Act and why an informed plan is critical for a providing a safer, healthier clean energy future for all.

Register today for ANCA's 7th Bike the Barns! This fully supported recreational road cycling tour highlights the rich agricultural movement of the North Country, complete with multiple farm stops and a finish-line celebration of local food, beverages and live music.

• What: Bike the Barns
• When: Saturday, September 21, 2024
• Start/Finish: Ausable Brewing Co., Keeseville, NY

This year's ride will return to New York's Champlain and Ausable Valleys with stops at local farms and points of interest including:

• Babbie Rural and Farm Learning Museum
• Mace Chasm Farm
• North Country Creamery
• Northern Orchard Co. (pictured)

The finish-line meal will be catered by Northern Feast Catering with beverages provided by Ausable Brewing. Adirondack "Ulterier-folk" band Nubble will entertain riders and supporters under the pavilion.

Compost for Good in the News

The Compost for Good team and their composting partners continue to gain media attention and public interest.

ANCA Organics Recycling Coordinator Jen Perry was featured in a video story by Adirondack Explorer as part of a series about Adirondackers working on solutions to combat climate change. Find the series and a link to the video here.

North Country Public Radio reported on community-scale composting in the region, much of which is directly supported by Compost for Good. Listen to the story here.

CfG and N4C Online

As the organizational host of Compost for Good, ANCA is developing webpages and other online resources to share information about community composting efforts and opportunities across the region — including information about the North Country Community Composting Coalition (N4C), pictured.

You’re invited to join the Adirondack Diversity Initiative (ADI) for the return of our ADI Symposium!

This event will delight your senses, inspire, challenge and invigorate as we explore new ideas and implement practices that help us better serve our communities. This community gathering will empower residents, organizations and businesses to increase understanding and awareness and enact positive change toward a more welcoming and inclusive Adirondack North Country.

Join us as we engage, listen, and grow in our interconnectedness to ensure a vital and sustainable future for our region.

The Hub is Hiring!

The North Country Clean Energy Hub is seeking two motivated individuals who want to educate their communities — in St. Lawrence, Franklin, Essex and Clinton Counties — about clean energy solutions and help connect residents with programs and incentives.

Please apply through our partner organizations at Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence & Jefferson Counties. And help spread the word!

Join Us for Drive Electric Expo!

Celebrate National Drive Electric Week with Third Act Upstate New York, The Wild Center, and the North Country Clean Energy Hub at a free one-day event that explores EV technologies, benefits and opportunities for North Country drivers.

What: North Country Drive Electric Expo

When: Saturday, September 28, 11AM-3PM

Where: The Wild Center, Tupper Lake

Plattsburgh Named NYSERDA Clean Energy Community

Kudos to the Town of Plattsburgh for their continued efforts to adopt clean energy technologies, reduce carbon emissions and bring more energy efficiency projects to their community.

The Town was recently designated a Clean Energy Community by NYSERDA and purchased electric landscaping tools with their $10,000 CEC grant.

More Clean Energy Communities

Congratulations to the following Clean Energy Communities who are completing actions and earning credit toward grants while also reducing costs and greenhouse gas emissions:

• Town of Ausable: Free energy study for their highway garage
• Town of Beekmantown: Completed benchmarking | Advanced Reporting & earned a free energy study
• Village of Canton: Earned a free energy study
• Town of Fort Covington: Completed a Municipal Clean Fleet Inventory
• Franklin County: Completed a Municipal Clean Fleet Inventory
• Town of Potsdam: Approved for Climate Smart Communities Recertification | Bronze CSC
• Village of Saranac Lake: Completed Tier 2 campaigns for Community Hydro and Clean Heating & Cooling
• Town of Schuyler Falls: Completed benchmarking | Advanced Reporting and earned a free energy study

Special congratulations to those communities that recently qualified for grants:

• Town of Beekmantown: $10,000
• Town of Fort Covington: $10,000
• Franklin County: $10,000
• Village of Potsdam: $10,000
• Village of Saranac Lake: $20,000
• Town of Schuyler Falls: $10,000

Don’t miss out — funding is limited! Contact energy@adirondack.org to learn how your community can take advantage of this opportunity.

Business Transition Survey

The Northeast Transition Initiative (NETI) is conducting a survey to better understand how retiring business owners approach the exit planning process and the options available to them. Survey responses submitted by August 31 will help regional business service providers, civic leaders and policy makers better understand the scope and scale of the challenge and its potential impact on our economy.

ANCA and our Center for Businesses in Transition (CBIT) are proud NETI partners who aim to support business transitions our region. Read more in our recent press release.

REAP ADK+: Grant Support for Small Businesses

Through ANCA's new REAP ADK+ initiative, qualifying businesses and farms can now receive assistance applying for Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants to help reduce energy costs. If you think your local businesses would benefit from this program, contact Jon Ignatowski at jignatowski@adirondack.org to learn more.

North Country Businesses for Sale

Our CBIT Community Liaisons work closely with both buyers and sellers to address their business transition needs and support them through the ownership transition process.

Visit the CBIT webpage to learn more and to view businesses currently for sale (like peakquest, pictured), their profiles and sell sheets.

Welcoming Tamara Jolly

ADI and ANCA are thrilled to introduce Tamara Jolly, our new ADI Community Initiatives Manager. Tamara is a passionate advocate for making nature accessible and inclusive for everyone. She earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Ohio State University and a master’s in teaching from Johns Hopkins University, and then dedicated 15 years to teaching high school science in inner-city Baltimore.

Visit our jobs page for openings with member and partner organizations and regional nonprofits:

• Energy Advisors: North Country Clean Energy Hub
• Regional Manager of External Affairs: National Grid
• Project Manager: AdkAction
• Educational Farm Director: North Country School - Camp Treetops
• Project Manager: Adirondack Research
• Director of Communications: Adirondack Mountain Club
• Director: Paul Smith’s College VIC

Have an opening you want to promote? Send a web link to jobs@adirondack.org.