Get to Know 2026 Candidates for US Congress, Governor, State Legislature, and Local Elections

kathrynrygg

17 hours ago

46 min read

October 20, 2026

What's the most important thing you can do for the environment in this election? Cast an informed vote!

In an effort to learn more about their environmental priorities, Color Your Community Green teams throughout our nine-county region asked the candidates for Congress, NY State Senate, NY State Assembly, and Town Council a set of questions last month.

Not sure who your candidates are? Check out Vote411.org. Also, please note, these are not the only candidates on your ballots! You will also be voting for NY State Comptroller, Attorney General, and District Attorney. There are no propositions to vote on this year.

The candidates are listed here and there are links that will take you directly to their responses. If there is no link, we have yet to receive a response.

FEDERAL ELECTIONS

US Congressional District 24: Alissa Ellman and Claudia Tenney
US Congressional District 25: Virginia McIntyre and Joe Morelle

STATE ELECTIONS

Governor of NY: Bruce Blakeman and Kathy Hochul
NY State Senate District 54: Pamela Helming and Michael Mills
NY State Senate District 55: Samra Brouk and Chris Brown
NY State Senate District 56: Jeremy Cooney and Orlando Rivera
NY State Senate District 57: George Borello and Victoria Guite-Williams
NY State Senate District 62: Thomas Arida and Robert Ortt

NY State Assembly District 130: George Dobbins, Carl Fitzsimmons, and Joe Lamanna
NY State Assembly District 133: Andrea Bailey and Gladys Flores
NY State Assembly District 134: Josh Jensen and Kurt VanWuyckhuyse
NY State Assembly District 135: Jen Lunsford and Kalinda Washington
NY State Assembly District 136: Sarah Clark and Clianda Florence
NY State Assembly District 137: Dave Ferris and Demond Meeks
NY State Assembly District 138: Harry Bronson and Tracy DiFlorio
NY State Assembly District 139: Stephen Hawley and Sarah Wolcott
NY State Assembly District 147: David DiPietro, unopposed

LOCAL ELECTIONS

Penfield Town Supervisor: Kevin Berry and Andris E Silins
Penfield Town Council: Catherine Dean, unopposed
Greece Town Council Ward 1: David DiPonzio and Ryan J McDonald
Greece Town Council Ward 2: Spencer Bernard and Frank Femia
Greece Town Council Ward 3: Megan Ferra and Amorette Miller
Greece Town Council Ward 4: Rick Antelli, Jr, unopposed

US Congressional NY-District 24

Alissa Ellman

As of 10/20/26, Ms. Ellman has not responded to our emailed request. If she does answer our questions, we will update this post.

US Congressional NY-District 24

Claudia Tenney

As of 10/20/26, Representative Tenney has not responded to our emailed request. If she does answer our questions, we will update this post.

US Congressional NY-District 25

Virginia McIntyre

As of 10/20/26, Ms. McIntyre has not responded to our emailed request. If she does answer our questions, we will update this post.

US Congressional NY-District 25

Joe Morelle

As of 10/20/26, Representative Morelle has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY State Governor

Bruce Blakeman

As of 10/20/26, Mr. Blakeman has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY State Governor

Kathy Hochul

As of 10/20/26, Governor Hochul has not responded to our emailed request. If she does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY State Senate District 54

Pamela A Helming

As of 10/22/26, Senator Helming has not responded to our emailed request. If she does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY State Senate District 54

Michael Mills

As of 10/20/26, Mr. Mills has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY State Senate District 55

Samra Brouk

1. The following table describes potential state policies. Please indicate whether or not you support the policy, and use the last row to expand on any of your answers if you wish.

*Do you support…?*
Policy area	Yes or No
Requiring utilities to charge lower rates to residents and businesses who use heat pumps, as Massachusetts does	Yes
Increased funding for upstate public transportation as an alternative to car-use	Yes
Incentivizing municipal rule changes so that solar generation and battery storage facilities are easier to site and build	Yes
Incentivizing planning and building connected bike friendly infrastructure	Yes
Incentivizing municipalities to modify land use (i.e. zoning) rules in current single-family zones to allow for more energy- and transportation-efficient types of housing, including “missing middle” housing such as townhomes, condominiums, multifamily buildings, and ADUs.	Yes
Reducing pesticide and herbicide use on state properties	Yes
Please use this space to expand on any of your answers

2. Because the state was failing to meet its targets, the NYS Climate Act (CLCPA) interim goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030 was recently modified to a 60% reduction by 2040. What steps do we need to take to ensure we meet this critical milestone?

While I think New York had the tools to meet our original goal set out in the CLCPA, I know that by using every available opportunity and state resource to develop and expand our usage of renewable energy, we can meet these emissions goals. This means the state building renewables as empowered to in the Build Public Renewables Act, and it also means making it easier for municipalities and private producers to build renewables in New York.

3. A major concern to your constituents and across the state is the high price of energy, especially electricity. What solutions will you pursue to reduce the energy cost burden to your constituents while reducing pollution?

Diversifying and expanding our production methods in New York through renewables and other energy sources will help bring down prices in the long run. In the short term I also support the state looking into ways to support public and municipal owned utility companies and letting more municipalities and local communities have the opportunity to make their utilities publicly owned and operated - reducing the price we see when we are billed.

4. In the absence of implementation of the All-Electric Buildings Act, the state could provide electrification leadership in the building and housing space by prohibiting IDAs from providing tax incentives to commercial and residential projects that use gas. Would you support a law that prevents IDAs from subsidizing new gas infrastructure? Please explain.

If we are to meet our emission goals, and make our indoor spaces safer for all New Yorkers, we need to move our buildings away from gas infrastructure and into full electrification. I would support a law that prevents IDAs from continuing to subsidize new gas infrastructure, as the public should not be subsidizing these outdated technologies.

5. Do you support the data center moratorium? How should the state approach the proposed development of new AI data centers that require significant energy and water resources? How can we protect utility rate-payers from the extra costs and pollution generated by these facilities?

Yes, I support and cosponsored the original data center moratorium passed by the legislature, and I support the current moratorium enacted by executive order. The state must approach the development of data centers with the public in mind, both in regards to the burdens they place on energy costs, but also in regards to their polluting effects. The end of the moratorium can only happen once strong state regulations to protect our communities is in place.

NY State Senate District 55

Chris Brown

As of 10/20/26, Mr. Brown has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY State Senate District 56

Jeremy Cooney

As of 10/20/26, Senator Cooney has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY State Senate District 56

Orlando Rivera

As of 10/20/26, Mr. Rivera has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY State Senate District 57

George Borrello

As of 10/20/26, Senator Borrello has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY State Senate District 57

Victoria Guite-Williams

As of 10/20/26, Ms. Guite-Williams has not responded to our emailed request. If she does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY State Senate District 62

Thomas Arida

As of 10/20/26, Mr. Arida has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY State Senate District 62

Robert Ortt

As of 10/20/26, Senator Ortt has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY Assembly District 130

George Dobbins

As of 10/20/26, Mr. Dobbins has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY Assembly District 130

Carl Fitzsimmons

As of 10/20/26, Mr. Fitzsimmons has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY Assembly District 130

Joe Lamanna

1. The following table describes potential state policies. Please indicate whether or not you support the policy, and use the last row to expand on any of your answers if you wish.

*Do you support…?*
Policy area	Yes or No
Requiring utilities to charge lower rates to residents and businesses who use heat pumps, as Massachusetts does	Yes
Increased funding for upstate public transportation as an alternative to car-use	Yes
Incentivizing municipal rule changes so that solar generation and battery storage facilities are easier to site and build	Yes
Incentivizing planning and building connected bike friendly infrastructure	Yes
Incentivizing municipalities to modify land use (i.e. zoning) rules in current single-family zones to allow for more energy- and transportation-efficient types of housing, including “missing middle” housing such as townhomes, condominiums, multifamily buildings, and ADUs.	Yes
Reducing pesticide and herbicide use on state properties	Yes
Please use this space to expand on any of your answers I support lower utility rates for heat pump users, expanded public transportation, streamlined approval of solar and battery storage projects, greater investment in bike-friendly infrastructure, modernized zoning to allow more housing options such as townhomes and ADUs, and reducing pesticide and herbicide use on state properties when practical alternatives exist. I also believe in providing incentives for the development and use of all forms of reliable alternative energy, including solar, wind, hydroelectric, and nuclear power, to strengthen energy independence, improve grid reliability, create jobs, and help keep energy costs affordable for residents and businesses.

To meet New York’s 2040 emissions target, we need a balanced approach that reduces emissions while keeping energy affordable and reliable. That means investing in renewable energy, nuclear and hydropower, modernizing the electric grid, improving energy efficiency, and supporting cleaner transportation through incentives rather than costly mandates. Most importantly, environmental goals must be paired with realistic implementation plans that protect working families, farmers, and small businesses while moving us toward a cleaner future.

I support an all-of-the-above approach that includes expanding nuclear, hydropower, solar, wind, and emerging technologies while modernizing our electric grid and investing in energy efficiency. New York should rely more on incentives and innovation rather than costly mandates that drive up utility bills. The goal should be to reduce pollution while ensuring residents and businesses have access to dependable, affordable energy that supports economic growth and keeps our communities competitive.

I would not support a blanket ban on IDA incentives for projects that use natural gas. Too often, government mandates are imposed without providing the funding or practical alternatives needed to make them work. Instead of restricting options, the state should encourage cleaner technologies through incentives and innovation while keeping energy affordable and reliable for residents, businesses, and local communities.

I do not support a blanket moratorium on data centers, but I do believe their development must be carefully managed. AI and data centers can bring jobs and economic investment, but they should not come at the expense of local residents, businesses, or taxpayers.

Any new data center should be required to demonstrate that it can meet its energy and water needs without driving up utility rates for existing customers. The companies benefiting from these facilities should bear the costs of the infrastructure upgrades they require, not ratepayers. We must also ensure that local communities have a voice in the approval process and that environmental impacts are fully evaluated.

My approach is simple: welcome responsible economic development, but protect residents from higher energy costs, strained resources, and unfunded mandates that place the burden on local communities rather than the corporations benefiting from the projects.

NY Assembly District 133

Andrea K Bailey

As of 10/20/26, Assemblymember Bailey has not responded to our emailed request. If she does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY Assembly District 133

Gladys Flores

As of 10/20/26, Ms. Flores has not responded to our emailed request. If she does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY Assembly District 134

Josh Jensen

As of 10/20/26, Assemblymember Jensen has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY Assembly District 134

Kurt VanWuyckhuyse

1. The following table describes potential state policies. Please indicate whether or not you support the policy, and use the last row to expand on any of your answers if you wish.

*Do you support…?*
Policy area	Yes or No
Requiring utilities to charge lower rates to residents and businesses who use heat pumps, as Massachusetts does	Yes
Increased funding for upstate public transportation as an alternative to car-use	Yes
Incentivizing municipal rule changes so that solar generation and battery storage facilities are easier to site and build	Yes
Incentivizing planning and building connected bike friendly infrastructure	Yes
Incentivizing municipalities to modify land use (i.e. zoning) rules in current single-family zones to allow for more energy- and transportation-efficient types of housing, including “missing middle” housing such as townhomes, condominiums, multifamily buildings, and ADUs.	Yes
Reducing pesticide and herbicide use on state properties	Yes
Optional: please use this space to expand on any of your answers. I strongly support passing the NY HEAT Act and taking real steps to hold giant utility companies accountable. Local towns should have more say and control over their own power grids—places like Spencerport and Fairport prove that local control keeps energy reliable, modern, and affordable. I also want to see local solar projects built by local union workers, ensuring the money and energy benefits stay right here in our community. Plus, planting native flowers and plants around solar farms instead of just pouring gravel will help protect our local bees and pollinators.

To reach this goal, New York needs to stick to its climate promises instead of pushing back deadlines. We have an abundance of clean, sustainable energy options in our region — like solar, wind off Lake Ontario, and groundwater geothermal for heat pumps. We should focus on tapping into these resources, setting up neighborhood clean-heating networks, and holding major polluters accountable so working families aren't left holding the bill. Stopping new fossil fuel projects now will keep us moving in the right direction.

The best way to bring down energy bills is to move away from expensive fossil fuels and invest in clean, public power. We need to hold giant utility monopolies accountable, break them up, and put control back in the hands of our local towns and cities. Passing the NY HEAT Act would cap electric and gas bills for everyday families and stop subsidizing gas line expansion. Investing in building insulation, local clean heating networks, and renewable energy projects creates good local jobs and keeps money in people's pockets.

Yes, absolutely. Corporate developers shouldn't get any sort of tax breaks or grants—those kinds of perks should be reserved for local development firms that guarantee local, union labor with prevailing wages and project labor agreements (PLAs). Tax dollars shouldn't be used to help build new fossil fuel infrastructure or keep us hooked on gas.

5. Do you support the data center moratorium? How should the state approach the proposed development of new AI data centers that require significant energy and water resources? How can we protect utility ratepayers from the extra costs and pollution generated by these facilities?

I am completely against building data centers in our state. But if they end up being built anyway, there need to be strict rules and constant oversight, with all profits going straight back to the local community. On top of that, data center owners must be held financially and criminally liable for any pollution or damage they cause to our environment and neighborhoods.

NY State Assembly District 135

Jen Lunsford

1. The following table describes potential state policies. Please indicate whether or not you support the policy, and use the last row to expand on any of your answers if you wish.

*Do you support…?*
Policy area	Yes or No
Requiring utilities to charge lower rates to residents and businesses who use heat pumps, as Massachusetts does	YES
Increased funding for upstate public transportation as an alternative to car-use	YES
Incentivizing municipal rule changes so that solar generation and battery storage facilities are easier to site and build	YES
Incentivizing planning and building connected bike friendly infrastructure	YES
Incentivizing municipalities to modify land use (i.e. zoning) rules in current single-family zones to allow for more energy- and transportation-efficient types of housing, including “missing middle” housing such as townhomes, condominiums, multifamily buildings, and ADUs.	Mostly
Reducing pesticide and herbicide use on state properties	YES
Optional: please use this space to expand on any of your answers. The key word here is incentivizing. We need denser and more energy-efficient housing all across the state. And we need various housing styles and options for aging residents and young professionals. But to be clear, we shouldn't mandate changes in zoning on a statewide level because it is 1) likely unconstitutional to do so and 2) forces solutions onto communities that may not work with their current infrastructure, housing needs or community character.

While the modification pushes back our deadline, that does not mean that we stop trying. We can continue to move forward and try to meet our goals before 2040-- something that I believe we can do in Western NY where so much of our energy is already clean hydropower. We need massive state capital investments to modernize our energy grid, both in transmission and generation. We need to diversify our power generation to include renewables that are both community scale, residential and commercial scale. We need to address regulatory limitations that are slowing down the siting and approval of new energy generation projects, while ensuring that we are meeting the needs of local residents and ensuring that the benefits of the cost-savings from these projects inures to the localities hosting them. We also need to address our landfill problems, which contribute nearly 20% of our GHG emissions. As mega-landfills are slated to close over the next several years we need to focus on community composting, expand municipal recycling, and pass extended producer responsibility legislation to prevent items from being landfilled in the first place.

The RATES commission we created during the last budget is designed to address this very issue. I look forward to the report this commission generates which should give us a detailed roadmap to achieving lasting energy cost reduction. In the meantime, many of the changes we made to rate cases, including prohibiting utilities from calculating executive compensation packages into their rate cases, and requiring them to submit a cost-constrained plan that simply maintains the status quo along with any rate case application, will help prevent massive increases in the future. But the reality is that our infrastructure needs upgrading, both for cost-efficiency and pollution reduction, and private utiities own the transmission grid. So we need to find ways, likely through state investment, to upgrade the grid without putting the burden directly onto ratepayers, who simply cannot afford to shoulder this cost. We also need to diversify our energy production into lower cost renewables to avoid the volatility of the fossil fuel market, which was the main driver behind our high energy costs this past winter.

This is an interesting idea but I think there would be a very tough path to passage. The exact same reasons that the All Electric Buildings Act was delayed would come into play here-- the potential for projects that can't plug-in due to capacity issues being delayed or cancelled. The commercial side could be different. There are some industries that rely on gas and have no market alternative for their process at this time, but others could be incentivized to go electric. I think the better use of IDA's is not to prohibit tax incentives for gas properties but to find ways to empower IDAs to offer invecentives and support for building out the infrastructure to go all-electric. A commercial enterprise coming into my district at this point pretty much has to be willing to pay for an electrical infrastructure upgrade. Even a local elementary school is being prevented from turning on the HVAC they invested in because RG&E waited until the project was done to tell them there were load issues on their line and it would take nearly $1M in infrastructure upgrades to get them plugged in. Businesses will go electric if if makes economic sense, and the reality of how much investment is needed to get the transmission lines and substations upgraded to accomodate new structures is often cost prohibitive. If we can alleviate that burden with IDA funds and incentives we could probably get a lot more businesses to choose electric.

5. Do you support the data center moratorium? How should the state approach the proposed development of new AI data centers that require significant energy and water resources? How can we protect utility ratepayers from the extra costs and pollution generated by these facilities?

Yes. The State appears to be taking the right approach. We need to require any data center seeking to site in our state to 1) provide a community host agreement that ensures that host communities are given enough benefits to offset the costs to their energy, environment and enjoyment; and 2) invest in their own electric upgrades to support their usage while also helping us build out renewables. I see no reason to allow data centers in our state unless I can be sure that we can leverage them to improve our energy grid through renewable upgrades. These centers must also be closed-loop to preserve water and routinely monitored by state and local authorities to ensure they are adhering to local noise ordinances and state environmental requirements.

NY Assembly District 135

Kalinda Washington

As of 10/20/26, Ms. Washington has not responded to our emailed request. If she does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY Assembly District 136

Sarah Clark

1. The following table describes potential state policies. Please indicate whether or not you support the policy, and use the last row to expand on any of your answers if you wish.

*Do you support…?*
Policy area	Yes or No
Requiring utilities to charge lower rates to residents and businesses who use heat pumps, as Massachusetts does	yes
Increased funding for upstate public transportation as an alternative to car-use	yes so much so
Incentivizing municipal rule changes so that solar generation and battery storage facilities are easier to site and build	yes
Incentivizing planning and building connected bike friendly infrastructure	yes
Incentivizing municipalities to modify land use (i.e. zoning) rules in current single-family zones to allow for more energy- and transportation-efficient types of housing, including “missing middle” housing such as townhomes, condominiums, multifamily buildings, and ADUs.	yes
Reducing pesticide and herbicide use on state properties	yes
Optional: please use this space to expand on any of your answers. These are all priorities and issues I am fully in support of and actively working to pass.

We need to double down on state investments in clean energy at the large scale level (SUNY campuses as an example, large thermal network, etc.) But we also need to invest in and aggressively incentivize clean energy at individual homes and businesses, solar, wind, heat pumps and geothermal. Regardless of the goal change- we can still meet the original goals if we are serious.

There are a lot of proposals out there, capping shareholders and CEO compensation is a good example. Public utilities would also solve a lot of our cost concerns. I also believe we should require utility companies to lower costs for households that have made investments in clean energy. Contrary to the misinformation out there...clean energy is cheaper energy. We need to build out new green energy projects everywhere.

Yes, we should not be building new gas infrastructure with public dollars.

5. Do you support the data center moratorium? How should the state approach the proposed development of new AI data centers that require significant energy and water resources? How can we protect utility ratepayers from the extra costs and pollution generated by these facilities?

Yes I support. AI and data centers need not only to build their own utility infrastructure, but they also need to generate their own power cleanly and carbon-free.

NY Assembly District 136

Clianda Florence

As of 10/20/26, Ms. Florence has not responded to our emailed request. If she does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY Assembly District 137

Dave Ferris

As of 10/20/26, Mr. Ferris has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY Assembly District 137

Demond Meeks

As of 10/20/26, Assemblymember Meeks has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY Assembly District 138

Harry Bronson

1. The following table describes potential state policies. Please indicate whether or not you support the policy, and use the last row to expand on any of your answers if you wish.

*Do you support…?*
Policy area	Yes or No
Requiring utilities to charge lower rates to residents and businesses who use heat pumps, as Massachusetts does	Y
Increased funding for upstate public transportation as an alternative to car-use	Y
Incentivizing municipal rule changes so that solar generation and battery storage facilities are easier to site and build	Y
Incentivizing planning and building connected bike friendly infrastructure	Y
Incentivizing municipalities to modify land use (i.e. zoning) rules in current single-family zones to allow for more energy- and transportation-efficient types of housing, including “missing middle” housing such as townhomes, condominiums, multifamily buildings, and ADUs.	Y
Reducing pesticide and herbicide use on state properties	Y
Optional: please use this space to expand on any of your answers. Yes, I support all of the above steps. Together they cut costs and pollution while making communities across Rochester, Monroe County, and Upstate New York more affordable, connected, and healthy.

1. Because the state was failing to meet its targets, the NYS Climate Act (CLCPA) interim goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030 was recently modified to a 60% reduction by 2040. What steps do we need to take to ensure we meet this critical milestone?

Resilience and sustainability must go hand-in-hand. We cannot simply adapt to a warming world. We must also reduce emissions to prevent the worst climate impacts while protecting communities from the changes already underway. Meeting the 2040 target requires

implementation, and our state has work to do. That is why I pushed to renew the $1 Billion Sustainability Futures Fund from last year and add another $1 Billion to the Sustainability Futures Fund this year. These funds will allow us to build green infrastructure, decarbonize

public, commercial and residential homes and generally invest in a green economy at all levels including generation, transmission and battery storage. I'll push for clear, enforceable timelines in each sector so we know what is on track and what is not. That means also scaling up building efficiency and electrification, and investing in transit.

As my co-sponsorship of the Home Utility Weatherization Jobs Act (A.3655A) shows, I understand that environmental protection and economic opportunity are complementary goals. The green economy can and should provide pathways to the middle class for all New Yorkers, which is why I have supported expanded green job training so that workers in Rochester and Monroe County are not left behind. I also voted to end the "100-foot rule" because families should not have to subsidize new gas hookups. Targets only mean something if agencies are held accountable for reaching them, and I will use the budget and oversight to do that.

2. A major concern to your constituents and across the state is the high price of energy, especially electricity. What solutions will you pursue to reduce the energy cost burden to your constituents while reducing pollution?

Families need relief now and lower costs over the long term. I supported putting relief checks up to $200 back into people's pockets through the POWER rebate program. I also helped establish a commission to lower skyrocketing utility costs.

Beyond rebates, the most reliable way to cut both bills and pollution is to reduce how much energy families need in the first place. That is why I co-sponsored the Home Utility Weatherization Jobs Act (A.3655A). Weatherization lowers monthly bills for homeowners and

renters across Rochester and Monroe County while creating good local jobs. I'll continue to support programs that help homeowners and renters make their homes more energy efficient while lowering their monthly bills. I'll also push for faster interconnection of solar and storage, and for strong scrutiny of rate increases at the Public Service Commission.

3. In the absence of implementation of the All-Electric Buildings Act, the state could provide electrification leadership in the building and housing space by prohibiting IDAs from providing tax incentives to commercial and residential projects that use gas. Would you support a law that prevents IDAs from subsidizing new gas infrastructure? Please explain.

Yes, I would support it. I voted to end the 100-foot rule because families who are struggling to pay their bills should not have to subsidize new gas hookups. The same principle applies to tax

incentives from IDAs. Public dollars should not be used to subsidize new gas infrastructure, which locks in decades of fossil fuel use and cost for the owners and tenants who come after. Using local tax incentives to build more of it also works against the state's climate goals. Until the All-Electric Buildings Act is implemented, keeping IDA subsidies away from new gas is a practical step the state can take. I'd want the bill language to account for affordable housing and

projects already underway, and I would work with local IDAs, builders, and labor on those details, but I support the goal.

4. Do you support the data center moratorium? How should the state approach the proposed development of new AI data centers that require significant energy and water resources? How can we protect utility ratepayers from the extra costs and pollution generated by these facilities?

Yes, I support the moratorium. I cosponsored the Responsible Data Center Development Act and voted for it, and it passed both the Assembly and the Senate. A one-year pause on new data center development gives the state time to study what these facilities mean for our communities, our water, and our electric grid before more of them are built.

The state should approach these projects carefully and with the public's interests first. Facilities that require this much energy and water should be held to high standards, and local communities

should have a real voice before they are approved. Ratepayers should not pay for the costs of these facilities. Families and small businesses in Rochester, Monroe County, and across Upstate

New York should not see higher bills because of projects built to serve the AI industry.

NY Assembly District 138

Tracy DiFlorio

As of 10/20/26, Ms. DiFlorio has not responded to our emailed request. If she does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY Assembly District 139

Stephen Hawley

As of 10/20/26, Assemblymember Hawley has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY Assembly District 139

Sarah Wolcott

As of 10/20/26, Ms. Wolcott has not responded to our emailed request. If she does answer our questions, we will update this post.

NY Assembly District 147

David DiPietro

unopposed

As of 10/20/26, Assemblymember DiPietro has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

Penfield Town Supervisor

Kevin Berry

1. Our area can seem protected from the worst impacts of climate change, but we have definitely begun to see the predicted uptick in extreme rain and wind events. What should we do to prepare for ever-increasing extreme storms?

The Town needs to look at this from a practical standpoint and budget accordingly. We are increasing our annual supply of road salt. We will budget for the supplies and overtime needed to clean up after windstorms. We will ensure that drainage and retention ponds are adequate for increased rainfall. We have a Town emergency management plan and are part of the County emergency management plan. We need to ensure that the participants in these plans are aware of, and are prepared to execute, their roles.

2. The following table describes sustainability actions local governments can take. Use the “action readiness” scale to indicate your enthusiasm for pursuing each listed strategy.

Action Readiness Scale 1 = I’m ready to act! 2 = I’m ready to act but need more information to communicate with constituents about it 3 = I don’t think this is a priority of my constituents 4 = I do not support this action in the short or medium term
Strategy	Readiness (1 - 4)
Replace gas furnaces, water heaters, and cooking appliances in all town or village owned buildings with electric heat pumps when they near their end of useful life	2
Implement a municipal-level composting program	2
Further invest in a protected and connected bus system to facilitate alternative transportation to car trips	1
Build a protected and connected bike lane system to facilitate alternative transportation to car trips	2
Modifying land use (i.e. zoning) rules to allow for more energy- and transportation-efficient types of housing, including “missing middle” housing such as townhomes, condominiums, ADUs, etc, in current single-family zones	1
Increase the use of native plants and trees in town landscaping projects, including incentivizing tree planting in built-up areas	1
For the strategies listed above, what are your top two priorities and why? Modifying land use rules and increasing the use of native plants and trees in town landscaping are my top priorities because we are already engaged in them. This year Penfield became a Pro-Housing Community, which shows our commitment to expanding housing options in Penfield. It also makes Penfield eligible for grant funds it otherwise could not obtain. There are sites in the town that are appropriate for rezoning to allow more energy-efficient types of housing. The Town is reviewing its zoning codes, and I want to make changes to allow ADUs, in-law apartments to be rented to persons other than family members, and other options that will increase housing options in Penfield. The Town is using native plants and trees in its landscaping projects. We are developing a procedure for tree donations to the Town that will increase the number of native trees in Penfield.

Penfield Town Supervisor

Andris Silins

As of 10/20/26, Mr. Silins has not responded to our emailed request. If he does answer our questions, we will update this post.

Penfield Town Board

Catherine Dean

unopposed

As of 10/20/26, Councilmember Dean has not responded to our emailed request. If she does answer our questions, we will update this post.

Greece Town Council - Ward 1

David DiPonzio

1. Do you support the NYS and Monroe County goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and does Greece have a role? Would you support Greece becoming a Climate Smart Community?

Yes. I’d like to see Greece do its part, and I believe the way to get there is practical, step-by-step progress that also saves taxpayers money. We’re already moving in that direction: the Town is currently building a solar farm to offset the Town’s electric bill. That’s a real example of a project that cuts emissions and lowers costs at the same time. I’d support Greece becoming a Climate Smart Community and using that framework to find more projects like it. I’d also like to see more options for bicyclists, with connections to our trails all throughout Greece, so families have a safe way to get around town without always getting in the car.

2. What role will you take as a leader in helping Greece reach these goals?

My first priority is bringing back an environmental board in Greece. A standing citizen board gives residents a real voice and gives the Town Board expert advice on everything from Slater Creek to stormwater to tree planting. It could also lead our Climate Smart effort. I’ll champion better bike connections to our trails throughout Greece. I’ll sponsor or support resolutions that move us forward. And I’ll press our county and state representatives for grant funding, so these improvements don’t land on local taxpayers.

3. What should Greece do to prepare for increasingly extreme storms?

We’ve already seen it here in Greece, from Lake Ontario flooding along our shoreline to flash flooding and downed trees inland. My approach is practical and comes in four parts. First, maintain and upgrade our stormwater system, including culverts, ditches, and creek channels, so it’s built for today’s storms instead of the storms of 40 years ago. Second, protect wetlands and stream corridors like Slater Creek, which act as natural flood storage at no cost to taxpayers. Third, keep up a strong tree program that removes hazardous trees before storms take them down and replants with healthy native species. Fourth, make sure residents know where to go and who to call during outages and emergencies.

4. The following table describes sustainability actions local governments can take. Use the “action readiness” scale to indicate your enthusiasm for pursuing each listed strategy.

Action Readiness Scale 1 = I’m ready to act! 2 = I’m ready to act but need more information to communicate with constituents about it 3 = I don’t think this is a priority of my constituents 4 = I do not support this action in the short or medium term
Strategy	Readiness (1 - 4)
Adopting all-electric municipal vehicle and equipment fleets, replacing all gas machines with electric when current equipment reaches the end of its useful life	3
Replace gas furnaces, water heaters, and cooking appliances in all town-owned buildings with electric heat pumps when they near their end of useful life	2
Require all new buildings to be EV charger ready	2
Require all new buildings constructed in the municipality to have all-electric heating and appliances.	3
Implement a municipal-level composting program	2
Modify zoning and planning rules so that solar generation and battery storage facilities are easier to site and build	3
Further invest in a protected and connected bus system to facilitate alternative transportation to car trips	2
Build a protected and connected bike lane system to facilitate alternative transportation to car trips	1
Modifying land use (i.e. zoning) rules to allow for more energy- and transportation-efficient types of housing, including “missing middle” housing such as townhomes, condominiums, multifamily buildings, and ADUs, in current single-family zones	3
Improve and expand green spaces and parks	1
Increase the use of native plants and trees in town landscaping projects, including incentivizing tree planting in built-up areas	1
Reduce pesticide and herbicide use in municipally-managed properties	1

5. For the strategies listed in the table above, what are your top two priorities and why?

My top two priorities are improving and expanding our parks and green spaces, and building safe, connected bike routes to our trails throughout Greece. They go hand in hand. Our parks are some of the most heavily used places in town, and better bike connections would let families reach them safely without getting in the car. These are practical investments that residents see and use every day, and they make Greece a better place to raise a family.

Greece Town Council - Ward 1

Ryan J. McDonald

1. Do you support the NYS and Monroe County goals of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions 80+% by 2050? And do you think Greece has a role in reaching these goals?

Yes, I support the State's CLCPA goals and Monroe County's Climate Action Plan goal of 80% by 2050 as a planning target. As an Associate Counsel focused on governance and compliance, I think we have to plan for where the law and funding are going, while being

pragmatic about what the Town can afford to do in the near term.

Does Greece have a role? Yes. Greece is 42 square miles, home to approximately 96,000 people, with a large municipal footprint, miles of roads and pipes, a Lake Ontario shoreline that floods, and numerous creeks and streams that regularly overflow. What the Town

invests in for stormwater mitigation, parks, building efficiency, and fleet costs matters to taxpayers.

Would I support becoming a Climate Smart Community? Yes. Greece is already identified as recipient in the County's new Community Climate Action Fund pilot. The CSC program does not necessarily require the Town to do things most residents would be opposed to. It's an inventory, a plan, and it opens the door to state grants for things we already need to do, which can have a beneficial impact on improving services without raising taxes. I would support pursuing certification as a fiscal tool. Any action that comes out of it would need to go through open public process, especially anything that directly impacts residents. Greece has a very diverse set of opinions, and any action that is taken must be open, and be crafted with input from all stakeholders.

2. If your answer to #1 is yes, what role will you take as leader of Greece to help us reach these goals? For example, would you sponsor legislation, lead community dialogue, advocate to our county and state legislators to enact and fund effective climate strategies?

Any action on green energy in Greece will require concerted buy-in and open community dialogue on what Greece residents are comfortable doing as a community.

1. Focus on town operations first: Where I will lead is on what the Town itself owns, when our own trucks, mowers, or furnaces reach the end of their usable life, we should run an honest lifecycle cost analysis. If an electric option costs less to fuel and maintain and can meet our DPW’s operational requirements, we should consider it. If it doesn't, we shouldn't. Instead of arguing the merits of the underlying technology alone, we should be approaching this as

a savings-first discussion.

2. Lead dialogue, not top-down legislation: My family has been connected to Greece since the 1930's, and in the past hundred years, a lot has changed. Sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly. I know most Greece residents are skeptical of top-down legislation that impacts them or limits their individual choices. I would strongly advocate for public workshops to cover issues related to data on these issues: costs, savings, winter performance, grid impacts, before proposing a vote on any changes to Town Code. My experience living in Greece, and from the Greece School Board during COVID reopening, has taught me that if you don't bring the community into the conversation early and often, Greece residents will justifiably not trust the process that leads to any legislation.

3. Advocate for choice-based incentives: Much of this program is county and state-driven. I would advocate to our County and State legislators for more voluntary incentives. Examples include rebates for efficient appliances, grants for stormwater parks and planning, funding for RTS shelters, etc. In this process, I would also strongly advocate to bring those Monroe County Climate Action Fund dollars back to Greece.

3. Our area can seem protected from the worst impacts of climate change, but we have definitely begun to see the predicted uptick in extreme rain and wind events. What should we do to prepare for ever-increasing extreme storms?

This is where I think we have the most consensus. Regardless of party, people in Greece have seen more basement backups, creek overflows, wind damage off the Lake, and heavier downpours on our clay soils which is leading to extensive and persistent flooding problems.

In speaking with people all over Ward 1, I believe that there are some short-term things we can do now to begin addressing these issues long term.

a) Fix the basics of stormwater: Update our site plan standards to use current rainfall data, not data from the 1960s . Prioritize ditch and culvert maintenance, and invest in green infrastructure that actually saves money by diverting stormwater away from flood-prone

areas. Simple things like rain gardens, bioswales, preserved wetlands, and tree canopy to slow stormwater and snowmelt before it hits our pipes.

b) Protect parks and shoreline as infrastructure: Our parks aren't just amenities; they're flood protection. Expanding buffers, planting deep-rooted native trees, and protecting open space reduces runoff and wind damage. In fact, in many of our municipal developments in Town, there is not as much of a priority to invest in well-thought-out landscaping in parks and public spaces. Some of the landscaping the Town does, or requires to occur in developments, can have a net positive impact on storm water mitigation, in addition to visual appeal of new projects. It's a win-win.

c) Harden emergency response: There are other things we can do to ensure community centers can function as warming/cooling/charging shelters with backup power, improve our emergency notifications, and have a clear, coordinated emergency response plan for

shoreline flooding. After the 2017 flooding, local government did set the framework for that coordination, but ensuring regular coordination meetings and updates to existing plans is necessary to have clearly planned responses for shoreline flooding emergencies.

4. The following table describes sustainability actions local governments can take. Use the “action readiness” scale to indicate your enthusiasm for pursuing each listed strategy.

Action Readiness Scale 1 = I’m ready to act! 2 = I’m ready to act but need more information to communicate with constituents about it 3 = I don’t think this is a priority of my constituents 4 = I do not support this action in the short or medium term
Strategy	Readiness (1 - 4)
Adopting all-electric municipal vehicle and equipment fleets, replacing all gas machines with electric when current equipment reaches the end of its useful life	2 - I am open to this if it makes fiscal sense, and if this is something that Residents would be accepting of. In Greece, we need to answer the winter questions: range in January, charging infrastructure costs, and total lifecycle. In communicating with Residents, there is a concern about the costs associated with building out the charging infrastructure necessary for a municipal fleet as big as Greece's. We would need more data on how electric vehicles would fit into our operational model before doing the heavy lifting of building out the infrastructure necessary. I would support, as part of that, a smaller pilot for Town vehicles in a specific use context, such as code enforcement or special police.
Replace gas furnaces, water heaters, and cooking appliances in all town-owned buildings with electric heat pumps when they near their end of useful life	2 - If heat pumps save taxpayer dollars over 15 years, I believe that argument should be presented and would be defensible. If the costs of upgrading the structure to accommodate would exceed the costs of replacing the structure, for example, in a park cabin or something that is limited use, that should be part of a larger community-wide planning discussion.
Require all new buildings to be EV charger ready	2 - The concept here is not unreasonable. Low-cost conduit/wiring at construction is infinitely cheaper than retrofitting an existing building. In my conversations at the doors in Greece, most residents would be open to this as an incentive/simplified permitting in commercial buildings, but would be hesitant to adopt this as mandatory in new home construction. We would need clear data on cost impact on new homes to discuss with builders and buyers before adopting any residential building requirements. I am not opposed, and I do not believe the cost increase would be significant within the scope of a new home build, but we would need actual data to discuss with residents prior to any local changes.
Require all new buildings constructed in the municipality to have all-electric heating and appliances.	3 - Based on the conversations I've had with residents, this does not appear to have broad support in Greece. Greece residents I have spoken to are concerned with impacts on their personal decision-making, and the financial impacts of being limited to electric appliances. Even in new builds. Outside of public sentiment, the condition of the electrical grid in the older parts of Town is woefully inadequate to accommodate sudden increased demand. Even in areas which are predominately new builds, the utility infrastructure is not always keeping pace with increased demand.
Implement a municipal-level composting program	1 - County CAP makes this a high priority. We do have community-wide leaf collection and composting, so this would be a readily achievable goal.
Modify zoning and planning rules so that solar generation and battery storage facilities are easier to site and build	3 - I am not confident that this is a high priority with the Greece residents I have met at the doors. That being said, the best first step would be for Greece to have an open dialogue whether larger commercial-scale solar farms are something we want to permit in Town, and if we do, then we really need to adopt local laws regarding the siting of solar farms, and any other requirements the Town is legally able to adopt for any proposed solar farm. Residents I have spoken to on the lake shore for example are not keen on any solar farming adjacent to or on Lake Ontario, or any other wetland or protected area in Town. Additionally, it is unlikely that our current grid in Greece could accept solar power generation in most of the open spaces where a solar farm could be sited, besides maybe Koda Park. For individual homes, this is something that we do allow in Greece, it has been successful as an individual choice, and should be allowed to continue. If barriers exist, we should identify those, and ensure they are removed. We should also allow commercial buildings to voluntarily adopt solar.
Further invest in a protected and connected bus system to facilitate alternative transportation to car trips	2 - Greece is car-dependent. RTS is present, but regionally operated. I support advocating for better frequency and safer shelters on Ridge, Latta, Long Pond, etc., but the Town has no direct authority to direct RTS spending, or route planning. I would support efforts with other municipalities to improve what RTS is providing within the community, however.
Build a protected and connected bike lane system to facilitate alternative transportation to car trips	2.5? - Safety matters, especially near schools and linking to some of our community amenities such as the 390, Parkway, and Canalway Trails. But protected bike lanes on major Greece roads are not seen as a priority by most Residents at the moment. I would support having these discussions as part of a wider re-evaluation of our current roadways, which are not currently friendly to pedestrians or bicyclists. In that context, there would be wider support.
Modifying land use (i.e. zoning) rules to allow for more energy- and transportation-efficient types of housing, including “missing middle” housing such as townhomes, condominiums, multifamily buildings, and ADUs, in current single-family zones	3 - Affordability is real, and I support aging-in-place. But broad upzoning of single-family zones does not have broad support among Greece residents I talk to. There is a lot of concern that some types of developments in neighborhoods will increase already high taxes on people who are struggling, and that they would be priced out of their neighborhoods. I do believe people are open to conversations on ADUs with owner-occupancy and design standards so long as it includes extensive public input. I also believe that thoughtfully planning for higher density is what the community will trend towards over time, but it needs to be part of a larger discussion that doesn’t leave working families behind.
Improve and expand green spaces and parks	1 - This is where we have immediate community buy-in. Parks are flood control, heat relief, and community pride. Greece residents are also paying attention to the rapid loss of open space in Town, and it is a concern that crosses political lines.
Increase the use of native plants and trees in town landscaping projects, including incentivizing tree planting in built-up areas	1 - Lower maintenance costs, less watering/mowing, better stormwater absorption. Common sense savings. That is what Greece residents want to see Town government doing.
Reduce pesticide and herbicide use in municipally-managed properties	2 - Supportive of Integrated Pest Management approach, but need plan from Parks to ensure athletic fields and playgrounds stay safe and usable. The use of chemical herbicides on Town properties is limited, but certainly worth educating the public about as part of an overall reassessment of cost and use.

5. For the strategies listed in the table above, what are your top two priorities and why?

Priority 1: Green infrastructure and stormwater resilience.

Parks, native trees, landscaping, wetlands, rain gardens and other green infrastructure can help address flooding while reducing maintenance costs and improving public spaces. This is an area where environmental stewardship and responsible infrastructure investment overlap. Greece residents care about flooding, open space and the condition of our parks, so this is an area where we can make tangible progress while building broad community support.

Priority 2: Transparent, voluntary efficiency pilots for Town operations.

Before making broad mandates, I would like to see the Town demonstrate what works. When equipment or building systems reach the end of their useful life, the Town should compare available options based on purchase price, maintenance, energy costs, useful life and operational requirements. Where an electric vehicle, heat pump or other efficient technology saves taxpayers money and meets the Town's needs, we should use it. Where it doesn't, we shouldn't. Publishing those comparisons would give residents real information rather than asking them to rely on competing political claims.

Greece Town Council - Ward 2

Spencer Bernard

1. Do you support the NYS and Monroe County goals of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions 80+% by 2050? And do you think Greece has a role in reaching these goals?

Would you support Greece becoming a Climate Smart community?

I support using common-sense, practical strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. These strategies should deliver real results without placing unnecessary financial burdens on residents or forcing unwanted changes to their private property. There are effective ways to make progress while respecting residents’ choices and protecting taxpayers.

As a large town, Greece certainly has an important role to play in achieving these goals and I would be proud to be part of that effort. I have previous experience working toward Climate Smart Community certification in another Monroe County town and would bring that knowledge and experience to Greece. Achieving this status can also open the door to significant grant funding for sustainability and environmental initiatives, helping us make meaningful progress while minimizing the impact on local taxpayers.

Certain aspects of these goals would require Town Board approval. I would draw on my experience successfully advancing initiatives in the past to work collaboratively with Town staff, the Town Board and the community to develop and implement common-sense climate policies that are practical, achievable and deliver tangible benefits. I have also been successful in securing grants for sustainability initiatives and would work to bring those funding opportunities

and resources to Greece. In addition, I would support community dialogue and advocate for effective climate strategies and funding at the county and state levels where appropriate.

Being on the shores of mighty Lake Ontario means we must always respect and protect it. We have seen increased flooding along the shoreline, requiring the Town to invest in shoreline protection and flood mitigation. These unexpected expenses can divert tax dollars from other important projects.

At the same time, older neighborhoods have experienced more flooding due in part to aging storm sewer systems and deferred maintenance. As a Town Board member, I believe we have a

responsibility to spend taxpayer dollars wisely by investing in critical infrastructure that protects our residents and prepares us for future extreme weather events.

Even when flooding is concentrated along the lake, its effects can impact the entire town through interconnected infrastructure and the shared cost of repairs and protection. We must take a proactive approach to maintaining and upgrading our entire stormwater and drainage systems so they can function as intended and better withstand the increasingly severe storms we are experiencing.

4. The following table describes sustainability actions local governments can take. Use the “action readiness” scale to indicate your enthusiasm for pursuing each listed strategy.

Action Readiness Scale 1 = I’m ready to act! 2 = I’m ready to act but need more information to communicate with constituents about it 3 = I don’t think this is a priority of my constituents 4 = I do not support this action in the short or medium term
Strategy	Readiness (1 - 4)
Adopting all-electric municipal vehicle and equipment fleets, replacing all gas machines with electric when current equipment reaches the end of its useful life	3
Replace gas furnaces, water heaters, and cooking appliances in all town-owned buildings with electric heat pumps when they near their end of useful life	2
Require all new buildings to be EV charger ready	3
Require all new buildings constructed in the municipality to have all-electric heating and appliances.	3
Implement a municipal-level composting program	1
Modify zoning and planning rules so that solar generation and battery storage facilities are easier to site and build	3
Further invest in a protected and connected bus system to facilitate alternative transportation to car trips	3
Build a protected and connected bike lane system to facilitate alternative transportation to car trips	2
Modifying land use (i.e. zoning) rules to allow for more energy- and transportation-efficient types of housing, including “missing middle” housing such as townhomes, condominiums, multifamily buildings, and ADUs, in current single-family zones	3
Improve and expand green spaces and parks	1
Increase the use of native plants and trees in town landscaping projects, including incentivizing tree planting in built-up areas	1
Reduce pesticide and herbicide use in municipally-managed properties	1

5. For the strategies listed in the table above, what are your top two priorities and why?

My top two priorities are to improve and expand green spaces and parks and reduce pesticide and herbicide use on municipally managed properties. These are two areas where I have direct

experience and a track record of success.

I believe Greece has experienced too much development in recent years. We need to make smarter land-use decisions and prioritize repurposing existing vacant properties before sacrificing valuable green space to new development. I have successfully fought to protect green space in a neighborhood from development and have extensive experience upgrading town parks and securing grant funding to make improvements without placing an additional burden on taxpayers. Keeping our parks clean, safe and accessible for future generations is a priority.

Reducing pesticide and herbicide use is not just a goal I support but something I have already acted on. One of my first actions on the Town Board was to stop the use of these chemicals around the play areas at Town Hall. My next step is to expand that effort to all town-owned outdoor play areas to help create safer spaces for our children and families.

Greece Town Council - Ward 2

Frank Femia

1. Do you support the NYS and Monroe County goals of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions 80+% by 2050? And do you think Greece has a role in reaching these goals?

I support the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As Monroe County’s largest town, Greece has an important role in helping achieve that.

The good news is that Greece has already taken meaningful steps in that direction. The Town has been converting streetlights to more efficient LEDs and investing in solar energy to reduce both emissions and operating costs. I believe we should continue building on that work, and I would support Greece joining the Climate Smart Communities program.

As a member of the Greece Town Board, I would support the steps necessary for Greece to participate in the Climate Smart Communities program and advocate for pursuing available federal, state, and county grants that can offset the cost of environmentally friendly upgrades.

I would also work with county and state officials to identify funding opportunities and address any financial or regulatory barriers we encounter. My priority would be practical projects that produce measurable environmental benefits while also making financial sense for Greece taxpayers.

The most important thing we can do is make sure our infrastructure is prepared for the weather we are increasingly experiencing. Extreme rainfall can overwhelm stormwater systems, and I have spoken with many residents in Greece who have experienced repeated flooding during heavy storms.

I believe the Town should take a proactive approach by identifying areas with recurring flooding and drainage problems and developing a long-term plan to address the highest-risk areas before failures become emergencies. That should include pursuing state, federal, and county funding wherever possible.

We should also continue diligently maintaining our drainage systems, culverts, retention areas, and trees while making sure the Town is prepared for major storms and extended power outages. It would also be prudent to update requirements for drainage projects so that new infrastructure is designed around projected future rainfall rather than historical patterns.

4. The following table describes sustainability actions local governments can take. Use the “action readiness” scale to indicate your enthusiasm for pursuing each listed strategy.

Action Readiness Scale 1 = I’m ready to act! 2 = I’m ready to act but need more information to communicate with constituents about it 3 = I don’t think this is a priority of my constituents 4 = I do not support this action in the short or medium term
Strategy	Readiness (1 - 4)
Adopting all-electric municipal vehicle and equipment fleets, replacing all gas machines with electric when current equipment reaches the end of its useful life	2
Replace gas furnaces, water heaters, and cooking appliances in all town-owned buildings with electric heat pumps when they near their end of useful life	1
Require all new buildings to be EV charger ready	1
Require all new buildings constructed in the municipality to have all-electric heating and appliances.	3
Implement a municipal-level composting program	1
Modify zoning and planning rules so that solar generation and battery storage facilities are easier to site and build	1
Further invest in a protected and connected bus system to facilitate alternative transportation to car trips	2
Build a protected and connected bike lane system to facilitate alternative transportation to car trips	2
Modifying land use (i.e. zoning) rules to allow for more energy- and transportation-efficient types of housing, including “missing middle” housing such as townhomes, condominiums, multifamily buildings, and ADUs, in current single-family zones	3
Improve and expand green spaces and parks	1
Increase the use of native plants and trees in town landscaping projects, including incentivizing tree planting in built-up areas	1
Reduce pesticide and herbicide use in municipally-managed properties	1

5. For the strategies listed in the table above, what are your top two priorities and why?

My top two priorities would be transitioning Town-owned buildings to heat pumps as existing heating systems reach the end of their useful lives, and transitioning appropriate Town vehicles and equipment to electric alternatives when replacements are needed.

Both are practical opportunities to reduce emissions while potentially lowering long-term operating and maintenance costs. With vehicles and equipment, I would take a case-by-case approach based on cost, range, reliability, and whether electric technology can actually meet the Town’s operational needs. The goal should be to electrify where it makes sense. For example, a light-duty pickup truck may be a better candidate for replacement than a snowplow.

Greece Town Council - Ward 3

Megan Ferra

As of 10/20/26, Ms. Ferra has not responded to our emailed request. If she does answer our questions, we will update this post.

Greece Town Council - Ward 3

Amorette Miller

1. Do you support the NYS and Monroe County goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and does Greece have a role? Would you support Greece becoming a Climate Smart Community?

Yes. Greece has a role to play, particularly when environmental responsibility also means smarter infrastructure and long-term savings for taxpayers. Our Town has already taken meaningful steps through solar energy, LED streetlights, electric vehicle technology, and other clean-energy initiatives. I would support exploring Climate Smart Communities certification and determining how Greece can build upon the work already underway.

2. What role will you take as a leader in helping Greece reach these goals?

I will continue supporting practical, achievable projects that reduce energy use, improve efficiency, and save taxpayer dollars. I also support pursuing state and county grants, working with our regional partners, and engaging residents and businesses as we consider future sustainability initiatives.

3. What should Greece do to prepare for increasingly extreme storms?

For Greece, climate resiliency is also an infrastructure issue. We need to continue investing in drainage, sewer and stormwater systems, stream and drainage-channel maintenance, tree management, and infrastructure improvements that reduce flooding and storm damage. We should also aggressively pursue state and federal funding to help make those investments without placing the entire burden on local taxpayers.

4. The following table describes sustainability actions local governments can take. Use the “action readiness” scale to indicate your enthusiasm for pursuing each listed strategy.

Action Readiness Scale 1 = I’m ready to act! 2 = I’m ready to act but need more information to communicate with constituents about it 3 = I don’t think this is a priority of my constituents 4 = I do not support this action in the short or medium term
Strategy	Readiness (1 - 4)
Adopting all-electric municipal vehicle and equipment fleets, replacing all gas machines with electric when current equipment reaches the end of its useful life	2/3
Replace gas furnaces, water heaters, and cooking appliances in all town-owned buildings with electric heat pumps when they near their end of useful life	3
Require all new buildings to be EV charger ready	1
Require all new buildings constructed in the municipality to have all-electric heating and appliances.	2
Implement a municipal-level composting program	2
Modify zoning and planning rules so that solar generation and battery storage facilities are easier to site and build	2
Further invest in a protected and connected bus system to facilitate alternative transportation to car trips	2
Build a protected and connected bike lane system to facilitate alternative transportation to car trips	2
Modifying land use (i.e. zoning) rules to allow for more energy- and transportation-efficient types of housing, including “missing middle” housing such as townhomes, condominiums, multifamily buildings, and ADUs, in current single-family zones	2
Improve and expand green spaces and parks	1
Increase the use of native plants and trees in town landscaping projects, including incentivizing tree planting in built-up areas	1
Reduce pesticide and herbicide use in municipally-managed properties	1

5. For the strategies listed in the table above, what are your top two priorities and why?

We have reduced pesticide use this year in some public spaces now. This is a priority.

I would like us to continue to improve our parks and green spaces.

Greece Town Council - Ward 4

Rick Antelli, Jr

unopposed

1. Do you support the NYS and Monroe County goals of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions 80+% by 2050? And do you think Greece has a role in reaching these goals? Would you support Greece becoming a Climate Smart community?

I believe that NYS and the Country should strive to make improvements on our greenhouse gas emissions. I also am a believer in common sense regulation and true partnerships with stakeholders to achieve these goals. Set goals are good guidance and help keep the work going, so there is an importance to that. I would have to do some more research into the 80% by 2050.

2. If your answer to #1 is yes, what role will you take as leader of Greece to help us reach these goals? For example, would you sponsor legislation, lead community dialogue, advocate to our county and state legislators to enact and fund effective climate strategies?

I believe being a good partner with the State is the way to achieve the goals. Working with planning and development of the town, as well as the other other stakeholders like the County and RTS, could help move forward and work towards the goals of a Climate Smart community. I believe is it also the responsibility for the board members and administration to make sure we are doing our due diligence when planning for the future of Greece.

Yes, I agree that although our area seems protected from the worst impacts, that does not mean we can be asleep at the wheel. As we all know living is Greece, we do experience flooding issues. I would like to see some more comprehensive studies on the storm water system in Greece. I believe that is the first course of action within our Town. Once a there is a better understanding of the current system and where improvements are needed, that is when it is critical to come up with a long term plan to address these areas. Whether that is working with the County or State, grants and other programs.

4. The following table describes sustainability actions local governments can take. Use the “action readiness” scale to indicate your enthusiasm for pursuing each listed strategy.

I

5. For the strategies listed in the table above, what are your top two priorities and why?

1) Securing green space and making sure our parks are protected.

2) Removing pesticides use in municipally-managed properties.