Our Changing Climate
Recently, the most significant and damaging weather events that hit Madison County were severe rainstorms from June 27th to July 4,th 2013, and a deadly tornado in the summer of 2014. The rainstorms caused extensive flooding, erosion, property damages, and power outages. Similarly, the tornado in 2014 killed four people and left a significant amount of damage to residential housing and infrastructure.
Although the County has not experienced as damaging weather events since, the effects of climate change are still noticeable. Above-average precipitation and temperatures have become more frequent in the region resulting in changes in our environment, agriculture, infrastructure, and public health.
Madison County is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainability so that the environment, and present and future generations are resilient. The County promotes sustainability in various ways. Current and past efforts include our buy and eat local campaigns, becoming a Climate Smart Community in 2017, installing a 2 MW solar array at the county landfill to power our municipal operations, and collecting methane from our landfill to create electricity.
Additional Climate Resources:
The International Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report
The Great Lakes Integrated Science and Assessments
Responding to Climate Change in New York
New York Climate Change Clearing House