FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, November 15, 2024
Contact: Lee Ziesche, info@publicpowerny.org, 954-415-6228
“15 Gigawatts for 25,000 Union Jobs”
Southern Tier Community Members, Advocates and Labor Call on Hochul and NYPA to Build More Public Renewables
Binghamton, New York – New Yorkers had one message for Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) at public hearings on Thursday: build more public renewables.
The message was repeated again and again by community members concerned about high bills, clean energy advocates and union members ready to get to work.
NYPA is holding public hearings across the state this month on a draft plan to implement the Build Public Renewables Act (BPRA). 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.
Adam Flint, Director of Clean Energy Programs at the Network for a Sustainable Tomorrow said, “With residents of the Southern Tier facing already unaffordable utility rates which are due to rise, more than ever, we need affordable, Public Power. NYPA’s draft proposal lacks the scope and ambition needed to meet the climate and affordability crises. We call on NYPA to expand the Plan’s goals to 15GW, and to be sure every region of New York, including the Southern Tier, benefits from the jobs, economic development and low cost electricity this program will bring.”
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, and there is currently only one project planned for the Southern Tier. 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.
“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 next week in Albany and New York City and 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.