Climate Solutions Accelerator

08/25/2026

The Accelerator has a few office furniture items available for free:
• 4 wooden desks
• 5 cubicle panels
• 1 extra large, very sturdy conference room table (not pictured - room for 8 chairs around it)

First come, first served. Items must be picked up this Friday, 8/28, or Monday, 8/31, before 2pm. If you know an organization or individual who could use any of these, please share!

Let us know in the comments or send us a message.
Serious inquiries only, please!

08/24/2026

We’re honored to be named BBDPPE Inc.’s 2026 Plant-Forward for the Environment Award recipient! 🌱💚

Climate action is community work, and this recognition reflects the many people, partners, and organizations across the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region who continue to show up, collaborate, and help move meaningful solutions forward.

Thank you to BBDPPE Inc. for this recognition and for celebrating work that supports a healthier, more regenerative and sustainable future for our communities.

We’re grateful to keep building toward that future together.

🌎 **2026 PLANT-FORWARD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AWARD** 🌱

**BBDPPE Inc. is proud to honor Climate Solutions Accelerator of the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region as our 2026 Plant-Forward for the Environment Award recipient!** 💚

We’re honored to recognize an organization working to build a healthier, more sustainable future by bringing people and organizations together to advance meaningful climate action throughout our region.

🎥 **WATCH** as Climate Solutions Accelerator shares their acceptance message and reflects on this recognition and their important work.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DcUa5mRRnOA/

# # # 🌎 About Climate Solutions Accelerator of the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region

The Climate Solutions Accelerator is an inclusive, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to inspiring and facilitating a large-scale climate mobilization in the nine-county Genesee-Finger Lakes Region.

In the weeks leading up to the 2014 People’s Climate March, more than 30 local organizations joined together to demand action on climate change and formed the Rochester People’s Climate Coalition (RPCC). Following the march, representatives from member organizations worked together to define the Coalition’s mission, goals, and structure.

For six years, the organization operated as RPCC, focusing on collaborative efforts to address climate change across the nine-county Genesee-Finger Lakes Region. Initially volunteer-led, RPCC became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2017 and hired its first staff person in 2018 to support the coalition’s rapid growth and increasing activity.

In 2020, the organization changed its name and look to reflect its critical role in launching and accelerating efforts to address climate change throughout the region.

Today, with a growing staff, Board of Directors, and wide-ranging network of member and partner organizations, **Climate Solutions Accelerator uses its wealth of experience and energy to galvanize high-impact climate action at the local level.**

🌱 **Congratulations to Climate Solutions Accelerator on being named BBDPPE Inc.’s 2026 Plant-Forward for the Environment Award recipient!**

08/18/2026

Our Hub team was in White Plains for the NYSERDA Hub Annual Meeting last week!

All three of our Energy Advisors had the opportunity to present, sharing insights and lessons from the work happening right here in our region:

➡️ Emily Hung — No Heat 101
➡️ Brett Peters — Nonprofit Wins!
➡️ Azmery Afnan — Navigating Non-Heating Emergencies

The Annual Meeting is always a valuable opportunity to connect with fellow Hubs from across New York State, exchange what we’re learning, and bring new ideas and perspectives back to our communities.

We’re proud to see our team contributing to the conversation—and grateful for the chance to learn alongside others doing this work across the state.

08/13/2026

We’re hiring: Multi-Family Energy Advisor

We're looking for a relationship-focused and solutions-oriented Energy Advisor to help expand access to clean energy and energy efficiency resources for multi-family communities across the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region.

This role is great for someone who’s excited to:

✅ guide people through clean energy and energy efficiency programs, incentives, and upgrades
✅ build relationships and provide individualized support throughout each client’s clean energy journey
✅ help remove barriers and expand access to clean energy resources and opportunities

This position is part of the Finger Lakes Clean Energy Hub (AMPED) team and includes paid training and professional certifications.

• Full-time (35 hrs/week)
• $69,399.62 salary
• Flexible hybrid/remote work (must be based in the Genesee-FLX Region; travel across 9 counties required)
📅 Apply by September 2, 2026

🔁 Tag or share with someone who should see this.

🔗 Learn more + apply: climategfl.org/job-board (Link in bio)

08/11/2026

08/11/2026

The Greenidge Facility has been burning enough fossil fuels to power 90,000 homes and growing for crypto machines since 2017. Now it has rebranded as "Vulcan" and wants to pull an ADDITIONAL 260 megawatts FROM THE GRID to add an Artificial Intelligence Hyperscale Data Center on site. SIGN THE PETITION TODAY: https://forms.gle/4vAjvCPt5NsfKagKA

WHAT IS PROPOSED:
New Name, Same Infrastructure: Greenidge Generation LLC, the gas fueled power plant along the shores of Seneca Lake, is changing its name to Vulcan Infrastructure and Power as it pivots from Bitcoin mining to an AI Data Center. Not only are they currently capable of producing 106 megawatts of power at the plant, but now they are requesting to draw an additional 260 megawatts from the grid, effectively tripling its energy consumption for crypto and artificial intelligence computing power.

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE: NYS Governor Hochul recently issued a weak Executive Order detailing a one-year statewide moratorium on data center development, but it is unclear whether this will affect Greenidge Generation, LLC / Vulcan’s plans as they already run a Bitcoin Mine at this location.
The Town of Torrey must follow the many communities that are adopting their own moratoriums as this industry seeks to build out in our region.

This is a bipartisan issue. Small towns across the US- both conservatives and progressives- agree that the construction of Hyperscale data centers must be paused until we understand completely how this will impact all of us. Greenidge’s Title V Air Permit was already denied because it violated New York’s Climate Law. That decision was upheld three times in a court of law until Governor Hochul reversed the decision and green-lighted Greenidge’s continued operations. This has emboldened Greenidge to expand into an artificial intelligence hyperscale data center on site.

HIGHER ELECTRIC BILLS FOR US: A data center’s massive
energy use could destabilize our energy grid and increase
our electric bills.

MORE NOISE: Additional machinery and cooling needs could increase the noise levels, disrupting our peaceful way of life.

OUR HEALTH: Greenidge is already raining toxins like lead, mercury, formaldehyde over our homes, farms, vineyards and lake. Light pollution negatively impacts our night skies with bright flood lights. Additional noise has negative health implications for both humans and animals. Greenidge/ Vulcan already draws up to 139 millions of gallons of Seneca Lake water daily and dumps it back hot at up to 108 degrees Fahrenheit. Expansion could exacerbate all of these impacts.

FEW JOBS, Risk To Our More Sustainable Jobs: Companies try to lure towns into permitting these facilities with the promise of tax breaks and jobs, but states’ own analyses show that very few permanent jobs are actually created.This kind of industrialization flies in the face of our driving economic engine in the region: agriculture, wineries and tourism - threatening these vital jobs with little to no benefits to the area.

DECREASED PROPERTY VALUES: Noise and light pollution, potential harms to Seneca Lake, and unsightly industrialization can decrease our property values.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Demand that the Town of Torrey Planning Board and Town Board pass a one-year moratorium on the building or expansion of any crypto mines or data centers while they evaluate the potential impacts these kinds of facilities have on our community. You DO NOT have to be a Town resident- anyone concerned about this can sign.

Sign the petition* to the Town Board using this link:
https://forms.gle/4vAjvCPt5NsfKagKA
This information will not be used for any other purpose than to send a letter to the Town of Torrey Board and Planning Board.

Call Governor Hochul today: Urge her to make clear the vagaries in her Executive Order to guarantee that the Greenidge / Vulcan expansion is covered in any moratorium on hyperscale AI Data Centers, and urge her to sign the more thorough Responsible Data Center Act NOW: 866-794-6052

WHY TORREY NEEDS TO ACT: NYS Governor Hochul recently issued a weak Executive Order detailing a one-year statewide moratorium on data center development, but it is unclear whether this will affect Greenidge Generation, LLC / Vulcan’s plans as they already run a Bitcoin Mine at this location.
Torrey must follow the many communities that are adopting their own moratoriums as this industry seeks to build out in our region.

07/28/2026

Thank you to Michael Moore and the team at Solar Farms for providing an amazing tour (and lunch) at their agrivoltaics project in Parma last week! It was inspiring to see that agriculture and clean energy do not have to be in opposition to each other but can work together in a mutually beneficial way.

Learn more at: https://norbutsolarfarms.com/

07/16/2026

07/09/2026

☀️ Catch us this summer!

The Climate Solutions Accelerator team will be out across the Genesee-Finger Lakes region this summer, connecting with communities, sharing resources, and listening to what matters most to residents.

Stop by and visit us if you see us in your neighborhood. We’d love to meet you, answer questions, and talk about how we can work together toward healthier communities, cleaner energy, and a thriving region on healthy planet.

Learn more at climategfl.org.

07/01/2026

Thank you to everyone in the Maplewood community who came out to our nuclear energy info session last night. We appreciate your questions, your presence, and your willingness to stay engaged in decisions that could impact Rochester’s energy future.

Now is the time to make your voice heard. The Public Service Commission needs to hear from residents before decisions are made about nuclear energy in New York.

You can submit a comment and take action here:
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-the-public-service-commission-no-new-nuclear-in-new-york/

Your voice matters. Your questions matter. Our community deserves clean, safe, affordable, and clean energy solutions.