Southampton Town designated clean energy community

Southampton Town has been designated a Clean Energy Community by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, officials said.

The designation, which is part of a $16 million state program to support local governments becoming more energy efficient, makes the town eligible for clean energy grants through the state and PSEG Long Island.

Southampton was eligible for the program because town officials completed four out of 10 “high-impact” items identified by NYSERDA. They adopted a unified solar permit, completed a community outreach program to encourage switching to solar power, purchased an electric vehicle and completed energy code enforcement training.

“This designation validates our commitment to encourage our residents to become less dependent on fossil fuels and more energy efficient,” Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said in a statement.

Other Long Island towns, including East Hampton and Smithtown, have already received the state’s clean energy designation.