East Hudson Valley News

Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino has announced the allocation of $57,868 in grants to support composting initiatives in the Town of Wappinger and the Village of Red Hook. These funds are part of the county's efforts to promote sustainability and reduce waste through its Composting Grant program.

The grant program, introduced earlier this year, offers municipalities and school districts a 50-percent match for installing an in-vessel aerobic composter or up to $20,000 for a communitywide food waste drop-off initiative.

The Town of Wappinger will receive $50,000 to install an in-vessel composting machine at its recycle center and transfer station. This system aims to facilitate large-scale composting, thereby reducing carbon emissions and producing nutrient-rich compost for local use. Site preparation is expected to commence in early 2025.

The Village of Red Hook has been awarded $7,868 to establish a food waste drop-off program. This initiative will provide residents with a 24-hour accessible site in the village center for composting purposes. The program is projected to be operational by spring 2025, under the supervision of the Village’s Climate Smart Communities task force.

Both projects are required to be completed by December 31, 2026.

For more information on composting and purchasing discounted bins for home use, residents can visit the Division of Solid Waste Management’s website.

This grant program is part of Dutchess County's broader environmental strategy. In September, Dutchess County achieved New York State’s Silver Certification as a Climate Smart Community due to its ongoing climate action efforts. Further details on these initiatives can be found on the Dutchess County Department of Planning & Development’s website.