NEW YORK — Yesterday, the Sierra Membership Atlantic Chapter delivered over 1,000 State Power Plan feedback submitted by members and supporters to Governor Hochul’s New York Metropolis workplace. Supporters and spokespeople gathered outdoors with indicators and banners for remarks earlier than delivering the feedback. Earlier as we speak, the State Power Planning Board introduced the ultimate Board assembly of the yr, the place they are going to vote on the Draft State Power Plan, will probably be December 16.
In the course of the two month remark interval this fall, Sierra Membership supporters spoke out in droves towards the Draft New York State Power Plan. Notably, Sierra Membership submitted probably the most feedback of any environmental group and the third most feedback of any group. The over 1,000 written feedback have been submitted by New Yorkers from throughout the state, as seen on this map. Along with the written feedback, over 50 Sierra Membership members and supporters testified at in-person hearings throughout the state. Sierra Membership’s Environmental Legislation Program additionally submitted detailed technical feedback critiquing the draft plan.
Click on Right here to See the Map of Sierra Membership Public Remark Submissions.
The Draft State Power Plan unlawfully weakens current emission-reduction commitments, walks again vital plans to decarbonize New York’s vitality sector, and does too little to onboard clear vitality. Inaction and continued reliance on costly fuel to energy properties and buildings may price New Yorkers on their vitality payments. Already, 1.3 million New Yorkers are two or extra months behind on their vitality payments, as native utilities report file income. Along with elevated utility payments, a State Power Plan that prioritizes fossil gas will threaten public well being and additional exacerbate excessive climate, costing New York in medical payments and misplaced work days, and growing the prices of local weather adaptation.
In the end, the finished State Power Plan will present broad coverage instructions that information New York’s vitality choices. The Plan is supposed to be up to date triennially, nonetheless New York is enterprise its first replace to the Plan in a decade. That is the primary Plan revision because the state enacted the Local weather Management and Neighborhood Safety Act (CLCPA) in 2020.
“Within the six years since New York enacted the CLCPA, the urgency of the local weather disaster has solely grown, together with the necessity for robust management from vanguard states like New York,” stated Josh Berman, Sierra Membership Senior Legal professional. “Sierra Membership is not going to stand by whereas New York turns its again on the necessities of the CLCPA. New York leaders should fulfill their obligations and use the ultimate State Power Plan to place New York again on monitor to realize mandated emissions reductions.”
“The Draft State Power Plan is lacking one thing important, a method to fund the clear vitality transition that doesn’t fall on New York’s working households,” stated Allyson Samuell, Sierra Membership Senior Marketing campaign Consultant in New York. “Fortunately, growing a Cap and Make investments program would decrease New Yorkers’ electrical energy payments and instantly assist the transition to cleaner, renewable vitality. This vacation season, we’re asking Governor Hochul: launch the Cap and Make investments laws.”
“Because it stands, the Draft State Power Plan can be an actual gut-punch to New York’s local weather progress,” stated Gabe Recchio, Sierra Membership’s Clear Warmth Organizer in New York. “We’re calling on Governor Hochul to make use of this State Power Plan to make up for federal insurance policies that favor polluting fossil fuels, however proper now, the Draft Plan fails to satisfy the political second or deal with New Yorkers’ well being and affordability wants.”
“The present Draft Power Plan doesn’t do sufficient to attach clear, renewable vitality to New York’s energy grid,” stated Jason Dragseth, Sierra Membership Volunteer. “New York should decide to onboarding clear, homegrown, inexpensive vitality, like offshore wind. South Fork Wind, our state’s first offshore wind farm, simply celebrated its first yr of operation and the info coming in from it’s excellent. New York’s Power Plan should stay dedicated to growing 9GW of offshore wind.”
