At the 85th annual U.S. Conference of Mayors, Newton Mayor Setti Warren and Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia received first place awards in the 2017 Climate Protection Awards, for small and large city respectively.

Warren received the award for the Newton Community Share Solar Initiative, a partnership to provide solar credits to low-income households in Newton. This unique program provides modest economic benefits to over 900 low-income Newton households by sharing solar credits from the city’s solar development projects. It also reduces the city’s carbon footprint, increasing the amount of clean, renewable energy in the community.

The award program recognizes and honors mayors for their outstanding and innovative practices that increase energy efficiency, expand renewable energy and/or reduce carbon emissions. For this achievement, Newton was awarded $15,000 to continue working towards sustainability goals.

“Mayors Setti Warren and Robert Garcia are national climate leaders, taking us into the next decade of mayoral climate leadership and demonstrating how action helps our cities and the nation,” Tom Cochran, CEO and executive director of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, said in a statement. “Mayors continue to be the first responders in our global climate battle, and the innovative programs underway in Newton and Long Beach will help inspire actions by other cities here in the U.S. and throughout the world.”