FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2023
Contact: Lee Ziesche, info@publicpowerny.org, 954-415-6228
“The Assembly has taken a major step. Now it’s on Hochul.”
Public Power NY Coalition responds to Assembly and Senate supporting principles of the Build Public Renewable Act in their one-house budgets
Albany, New York – The New York Assembly called for most of the provisions of the Build Public Renewables Act (BPRA) in their one-house budget statement released today, a momentous shift after failing to vote on the bill last session.
Their proposal counters one made by the Governor earlier this year which would allow the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to build and own renewable energy, but removes nation leading labor, accountability, and environmental justice standards included in BPRA, as well as a mandate ensuring NYPA actually would build the renewable energy needed to fulfill state climate mandates. Press call it BPRA-lite.
The Assembly supported the mandate and labor and environmental justice standards, but did not include necessary accountability provisions that would expand the NYPA board and provide crucial oversight.
The State Senate rejected the Governor’s proposal in their one-house in favor of the full bill they passed earlier this year, putting everything the governor removed back on the negotiating table.
The Public Power NY Coalition released the following statement
“We appreciate Speaker Carl Heastie and the Assembly listening to thousands of New Yorkers who have supported the Build Public Renewables Act, and now we must pass the version of the bill that will benefit New Yorkers the most. We can’t allow Governor Hochul to gut one of the most transformative pieces of climate legislation in the country.
The Assembly has taken a major step today. The Senate and Assembly both reject the Governor’s BPRA-lite and are demanding more. Now it’s on Governor Hochul to listen to the people and the legislature. We look forward to working with both the Senate and Assembly to fight for the future and a just transition New Yorkers deserve.”
Polling released last year showed that over 80% of democratic voters support BPRA and a new report found passing the bill would allow the state to take advantage of over a billion dollars of federal funding.
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About Public Power NY
The Public Power NY Coalition is a statewide movement of community and advocacy organizations, and thousands of New Yorkers fighting to pass the Build Public Renewables Act, the nation’s biggest climate bill. It will enable New York to unleash the New York Power Authority, the country’s largest public power provider, to build publicly owned, 100% renewable energy; slash energy costs for those who need it most; and create tens of thousands of green union jobs that will finally unionize the green energy sector. The bill is endorsed by unions representing over 1 million members in New York including 1199SEIU, NYSUT, PSC-CUNY, UUP, and UAW 9A.