Quoted Text

Green activists press Stratton
Conservation league sends

By BRIAN NEARING, Staff writer
First published: Thursday, September 4, 2008
'act now' message; mayor points to city's efforts

     
SCHENECTADY -- A New York City-based environmental group that helped re-elect Mayor Brian U. Stratton last year wants voters to urge the mayor to commit to fighting climate change.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for the New York League of Conservation Voters was careful in describing its motivation behind a glossy, four-color flier mailed to 10,000 households last week that urged Stratton to "act now" on the league's six-point package.

Stratton said he was "puzzled" by the flier, which he called "a little unfair, giving the impression to the uninformed that I have been sitting around on my thumbs doing nothing."

The mayor pointed to city efforts to build environmentally friendly low-income housing, conduct an energy audit to identify conservation measures, and use methane energy from the sewage plant to help power the facility.

The city also has built a new green-certified fleet garage, replaced traffic signals with energy-efficient light-emitting diodes and added insulation to its buildings. Stratton said the changes have reduced the city's carbon footprint by 4 percent since he took office, which is more than halfway to a 7 percent goal by 2012.

League spokesman Dan Hendrick said his group had a good relationship with Stratton and praised his efforts so far. He said the league turned to a public campaign only to "energize" voters behind a comprehensive climate-change package.

The league wants commitments to an all-hybrid city fleet by 2012, use of clean fuel in all city buildings, creation of city "green building standards," a citywide tree planting campaign, and more emphasis on attracting green industries and new development near mass transit lines.

When Stratton successfully ran for re-election in 2007, he was one of only three local officials statewide who got campaign backing from the league, which was rebuilding political clout after years of flagging influence.

After the campaign, Stratton estimated the league's campaign mailings and telephone banks were probably worth $50,000 to his campaign.

"I was dumbfounded that they would promote me as the champion of green energy and on the other hand seem to send a message that I have not done anything," Stratton said.

"The city's efforts have been spread around, and we would like them to package it into one theme," countered Hendrick. "We want to make sure the city stays on the right track."

A return postcard included with the flier used the phrase directed at Stratton that "it's time for Schenectady to develop a plan."

Hendrick said the league so far has received about 100 return postcards and will submit them to Stratton.

Nearing can be reached at 454-5094 or by e-mail at bnearing@timesunion.com.