FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, November 8, 2024
Contact: Lee Ziesche, info@publicpowerny.org, 954-415-6228
“NYPA needs to be bolder and build more public renewables”
Western New Yorkers Call on Hochul to Send Power Authority’s Draft Plan Back to the Drawing Board
Lewiston, New York – At public hearings on Thursday, Western New Yorkers called on Governor Kathy Hochul to send the New York Power Authority’s draft plan to implement the Build Public Renewables Act (BPRA) back to the drawing board and return with a plan that develops more renewable energy, creates tens of thousands of green union jobs and lowers electric bills for those that need it most.
The BPRA, which has been called “the biggest Green New Deal Victory in US history”, was passed in May 2023 through the New York State Budget after a powerful, four year-long, statewide campaign. The bill enables New York to unleash NYPA to build publicly owned, 100% renewable energy.
“Western New Yorkers NEED our state to be the leader on renewable energy, now more than ever, and NYPA’s current plan falls far short. NYPA must be much bolder and visionary to make our grid more resilient, lower our electric bills, and to create strong union jobs.” said Bridge Rauch, an organizer for the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York.
Since the bill’s passage, advocates and legislators have been warning that for-profit renewable energy developers will continue to drop projects at an alarming rate and the state will not be able to meet its mandated goal of 70% renewable energy by 2030 unless NYPA steps up and builds at least 15GW.
NYPA’s draft plan proposes to build an inadequate 3.5GW of renewable energy with the expectation that many of those projects will not move forward. New Yorkers who fought for and won the legislation are saying NYPA’s draft plan does not go far enough and falls short of state climate goals.
The hearings were held at the Niagara Power Plant, one of several hydroelectric plants owned and operated by NYPA that provide some of the cheapest electricity in the country. Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt established NYPA with the founding principle that “the water power of the State should belong to all the people”.
“FDR created NYPA to lead the way on revolutionizing our energy system, and NYPA can reclaim this leadership by embracing a bold vision for public power in the 21st century,” said Alex Patterson, Public Power NY Campaign Coordinator. “In order for New York to meet our climate goals, shutter harmful fossil fuel power plants, create tens of thousands of good union jobs and lower electricity bills, we need NYPA to build 15GW by 2030. We encourage anyone who believes NYPA needs to step up at this moment for the people of New York to speak out at a public hearing and submit a written comment.”
Public hearings will be held across the state throughout November with virtual hearings in the morning and evening on Thursday, November 21. Written comments can also be submitted. Advocates plan to rally before the evening New York City public hearing to call on NYPA to build 15GW of renewable energy by 2030.
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About Public Power NY
The Public Power NY Coalition is a statewide movement of community and advocacy organizations fighting for an environmentally sustainable energy system that’s also racially, socially, and economically just. We believe energy and a habitable planet are human rights, and that we need to avert the climate crisis by eliminating the use of fossil fuels and transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy. We aim to accomplish these goals by taking over our for-profit energy system and bringing it under public, not-for-profit, local, and democratic ownership and management.