LI green homes group gets $800G from state

Local governments on Long Island have won $800,000 from the state to devise a plan to promote energy efficiency, "smart growth" and less air pollution.

The Long Island Green Homes Consortium will use the money from the state Energy Research and Development Authority to create a blueprint for environmentally-friendly building projects.

The consortium includes the towns of Babylon, Brookhaven, East Hampton, Huntington, Islip, North Hempstead, Riverhead, Smithtown and Southampton, and the Community Development Corp. of Long Island. North Hempstead will lead the planning effort.

All 10 regions of New York received grants under the Cleaner, Greener Communities initiative, launched by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo last year. Each region was eligible for $1 million; a total of $9.6 million was awarded.

In the future, Long Island's plan will compete with those of other regions for a portion of $90 million set aside to implement the strategies.

Cuomo said, "These plans will result in green jobs, the development of renewable energy and significantly reduced pollution."

The environment plan must conform to a five-year economic growth strategy written by the Long Island Regional Development Council, appointed by Cuomo last year as the primary access point for state aid.

Council co-vice chairman Kevin Law said the environmental plan will likely build upon the 2035 Sustainability Plan from the Long Island Regional Planning Council.