Harckham Announces New Wind / Solar Lighting in Cortlandt

Cortlandt Manor, NY – New York State Senator Pete Harckham announced today that the Town of Cortlandt has installed new wind / solar powered lighting fixtures in the Town Hall parking lot thanks to a grant that is part of the $2.3 million municipal electrification funding he secured for communities in the 40th Senate District.

“I am pleased to have secured funding for this project, which will benefit residents in terms of efficiency and reliability, without burdening taxpayers,” Harckham said. “As the Town of Cortlandt continues to work toward increasing use of renewable energy for its municipal infrastructure, this investment in a combination of wind and solar lighting makes sense and is climate friendly.”

Town Supervisor Dr. Richard Becker said, “The members of the Town Board, representing the citizens of the Town of Cortlandt, are very grateful for the assistance of Senator Pete Harckham in providing grant funding for the purchase and installation of three windmill/solar towers at Town Hall. These new LED lights provide more than adequate lighting, and our facility is now well-illuminated and safe. This grant covered all expenses; there was no cost to the residents of the town.”

The funding was available through the New York State Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability, and Technology (CREST) program. The town was able to purchase three solar powered lighting fixtures for the Town Hall parking lot. The lighting fixtures will provide much needed additional lighting for the parking lot and demonstrate the Town’s commitment to a sustainable future.  

The fixtures are completely off the grid. The renewable-powered lighting will help the Town of Cortlandt maintain its Bronze Level Certification through New York State Energy Research & Development Agency (NYSERDA) and its Climate Smart Community (CSC) program through which communities are awarded points for implementing a variety of green, sustainable technologies.  

Harckham announced in 2023 that $2.3 million in grant funding was available to local municipalities for various improvement and infrastructure projects, including downtown improvements and new public safety equipment, all of which would help residents without impacting local property taxes. 

The CREST program is among the State Senate grant programs administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) to support community and economic development. Harckham has delivered more than $30 million of State Senate grant funding to municipalities and nonprofits in the 40th Senate District since taking office in 2019.