I recently joined leaders from 11 counties across the country to sign the "U.S. Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration," a promise to reduce harmful global warming emissions 80 percent by 2050 - an achievable average annual reduction of 2 percent.

The counties - led by Nassau, King County, WA, and Fairfax County, VA - joined the Sierra Club to also urge the federal government to adopt legislation requiring the same dramatic reduction - of 80 percent by 2050 - and to call for vehicle fuel economy standards to be raised to 35 miles per gallon within a decade.

As we wait for Washington to act, local governments must take immediate action to address global warming, and Nassau County, with its many coastal communities, is particularly vulnerable to climate change. But we are not alone in this battle. Cool Counties provides the framework we all need to reduce our emissions and help solve the problem.

In the face of continuing inaction at the federal level to combat global warming, the Cool Counties and the Sierra Club - the largest grass-roots environmental organization in the nation - are working together to implement policies to fight carbon emissions and encourage the use of clean, renewable energy - all while saving taxpayer money.

Nassau County is already taking steps to reduce emissions. Currently, 10 percent of the power used in county facilities comes from wind power. That translates to 10 million emission-free kilowatt hours of power. And by the end of 2007, the county will have purchased 175,000 gallons of B20 biodiesel fuel for its non-emergency fleet - one of the largest fleets of alternative fuel vehicles in the state, with 60 compressed natural gas, ethanol and electric vehicles. These measures are expected to result in a CO2 emission reduction of 20 tons in 2007.

These are among the many changes that have already reduced the government's carbon footprint by 5 percent. In addition, recently completed upgrades to make county buildings more energy efficient will save taxpayers $800,000 in energy bills.

I am committed to keeping Nassau County clean and unpolluted for our generation and for the generations that will follow us. Our Healthy Nassau plan builds upon existing initiatives and adds new ones in order to sustain a healthy environment (focusing on air, land and water), while encouraging healthy living (tending to bodies, minds and spirits). Healthy Nassau initiatives include: working with other large municipalities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and explore mass transit options; continuing to preserve the county's few remaining parcels of open space, seeking a state-authorized cigarette tax to discourage smoking, operating an organic farm at Old Bethpage Village Restoration; the opening of the county's first Farmer's Market featuring fresh produce and the "Biggest Loser" Weight-Off Competition for county workers.