Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy announced that Albany County’s application to become an official member of the Green Purchasing Communities (GPC) program has been approved. This program aims to make it easier for local governments to purchase commodities, services, and technology that have a lower environmental impact.

“Ensuring our purchases are environmentally conscious isn’t just a choice; it’s a commitment to sustainability that helps use forge a path to a greener, more responsible future,” said Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy. “This is yet another demonstration of our efforts to make Albany County the greenest county in New York State, and it builds off of Albany County’s certification as a Climate Smart Community, among other important initiatives.”

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, “New York State’s green procurement initiatives not only engage state agencies and authorities, but also promote local government involvement through the State's Green Purchasing Communities Program. I commend Albany County for serving as an exemplary community leader by joining the Green Purchasing Communities Program and look forward to working together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help meet New York’s sustainability and climate goals.”

Members of the GPC program pledge to follow the GreenNY purchasing specifications that New York State government uses in order to protect public health and the environment. These criteria identify products that: minimize the risks of discharging pollutants into the environment, maximizes the use of recycled materials, and priorities renewable resources.

In addition, Albany County can accrue points toward its Climate Smart Communities Certification by signing up for the Green Purchasing Communities program. Only the premier local leaders in climate action in New York are Certified Climate Smart Communities (CSCs) as they must pass a stringent evaluation procedure that verifies they have completed a number of tangible initiatives aimed at mitigating and adapting to climate change. Albany County was certified on September 25, 2021 with 176 points earned from 30 completed actions.