POTSDAM -- The appointments of several community members to serve on the Climate Smart Community Task Force was approved by village trustees at their meeting Feb. 20.

They are:

• Maggie McKenna, Village Board of Trustees liaison

• David Trithart and Hugo Atteman, Village Planning Board representatives

• Rose Rivezzi, Town Council liaison

•Ray Bradish of the SUNY Potsdam Biology Department

• Alex French, Clarkson University Sustainability coordinator

• Laura Cordts, Canton-Potsdam Hospital Sustainability coordinator

• David Bradford, Adirondack North Country Association

• John Tenbusch, St. Lawrence County Environmental Management Council

• Thomas Ortmeyer and Rich Wong, village residents

• Gregory Thompson, task force coordinator and village administrator

• Fred Hanss, assistant coordinator and village planning director.

Both the village and the town of Potsdam have signed on to the Climate Smart Communities Program, a network of New York communities committed to reduce greenhouse gases through things such as taking energy audits and finding ways to reduce energy use, and adapting to climate change with steps such as altering the built and natural environment in anticipation of predicted climatic changes, or in response to actual changes, to alleviate the risks associated with unavoidable changes in climate.

A New York State Climate Smart Communities grant program was established in 2016 to provide 50/50 matching grants to cities, towns, villages, and for eligible climate adaptation and mitigation projects.