Climate Summit

November 8, 2026

Cazenovia’s United Climate Action Network held it’s Annual Climate Summit on November 8th, 2025, with 47 attending-all citizens whose advocacy in addressing Climate Change issues makes them leaders in our communities.

The day began with two speakers: New York State Senator Rachael May and the Town of Cazenovia’s Supervisor, Kyle Reger. They each reported on what they have done/are doing to address climate change and, in so doing, gave us hope by pointing to the actions they and some of their colleagues, as political leaders, are planning to do in the near future. 

There enthusiasm was palpable amongst the attendees at the start of the day, and it held right to the end. Far from being discouraged at our current state (on climate issues), everyone seemed ready to hear their neighbors’ good ideas on how we all, as individuals and collectively, can address climate change. The day’s interactions culminated in the dedication, from all present, to roll up their sleeves and do what is needed to make a difference.

Supervisor Reger said it best, during his address to the assembly, when he said, “The health of our environment is inseparable from the health of our community.” “None of the work (dealing with environmental issues) happens in isolation. It takes partnerships. It takes passion. It takes people willing to roll up their sleeves and put in the hard work.”

Issues Brought Up Senator May

-After NYS DEC’s several denials of a permit, NYS (with the support of the Public Service Commission) has given the green light for the Northeast Supply Enhancement project. This natural gas pipeline will transport Pennsylvania fracked gas under the ocean to the coast of Long Island. This is a reversal of the governor’s prior stance.
A second pipeline permit request – the Constitutional pipeline – still hasn’t been given a permit and, in fact, the application has been withdrawn.

– The Greenidge Generation (a bitcoin mining company) power plant on Seneca Lake, whose 2022 renewal permit was denied based on NY’s climate law, has recently been approved under a (5 year) deal worked out with Governor Hochul’s administration. Governor Hochul had placed a temporary 3 year moratorium on crypto mining in the state, while exempting Greenridge. That moratorium has, in any case, has expired.

– Senator May supports the NYS’s “Cap and Invest” initiative (that would help fund the state’s green transition in a major way) that Governor Hochul once supported (but now doesn’t). This carbon tax would tax big emitters for each unit of planet-warming gas they generate, with the revenue paying for the state’s climate action(s). This tax would incentivize those emitters to find ways to cut their emissions substantially.

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 Rachael’s Priorities:

* Green Energy development – to meet the needs of NY State and beyond – with clean energy.

* Fighting Big Energy’s very effective tactics in playing down sustainable energy.

* Housing – Rachael is pushing legislation that would lessen the impact of zoning laws that hinder multi-family housing development. It is particularly important to consider this, and other initiatives that would open the door to urban housing development (with housing being a great need throughout the state). Multi-family housing in, or closer to, urban centers (where the majority of a region’s jobs are) would save on infrastructure needs (water, sewer, power, roads, schools, shopping, health care, entertainment etc.) would bring huge environmental positives. (Think of the energy cost of transportation to and from suburban and rural areas just for work.)

– Senator May has put forth a bill that would lessen the possibility of litigation challenging these developments – always an issue in any housing development initiatives – inflicting substantial costs and time lost etc. All this would help alleviate the many problems associated with major sprawl.

* Parking Lots — Currently our tax system allows for minimum tax rates on parking lots. (Owners pay almost nothing). This is true even in areas where land values are at a premium. Senator May is advocating to allow cities to tax (parking lot and vacant) land at a rate relating to the actual value of the land. This would disincentivize owners’ option of leaving open spaces (parking lots) for tax purposes, bringing forth a new way to encourage better use of those spaces for housing etc.

* Waste Reduction — We need to do all we can to encourage/incentivize waste reduction, in all its many forms. These “low fruit” initiatives would have an immense impact on climate change issues.

* Better Bottle Bill — Senator May recognizes the extremely strong influence various industries have here, but she continues to fight hard for implementation.to encourage better use of those spaces for housing etc.

* Pushing for laws that would tax product manufacturers on the waste generated by their product packaging – thus incentivizing them to find ways to cut back on packaging etc.

During the Q&A session:

* Rachael expressed a desire to find ways to utilize the heat, currently wasted, that’s generated in the production for other various purposes. It’d be great to capture that lost heat and put it to good use somehow.

* Mass Transit was brought up, and both Rachael and Kyle said they are supportive but, currently, it is exorbitantly expensive – as either a government service or as a private business. Partnerships between a private fleet and government support maybe something worth looking at for the future.

*Another note: Currently businesses are looking at ways that would enhance their efforts at getting good workers to their places of work. Many potentially great employees can’t afford transportation to and from where they live and where they (might like to) work. Mass transit, where businesses send out transportation to pick up and return employees – is being considered.

* Rachael also mentioned that there is a lot of state money out there to incentivize climate change initiatives, but the money is either offered for too short a time period, or is spread too thin (amongst recipients) to do much good. She would like to see Restore NY funding brought back.