Groups Respond to LIPA’s Postponement of Offshore Wind Vote
Dear Governor Cuomo:
The undersigned local, state and national organizations representing hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers write to express our deep concern and disappointment that the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) Board of Trustees postponed the vote scheduled for July 20, 2016, which was expected to advance New York’s first offshore wind farm over 30 miles from the East End of Long Island.
Environment New York
All Our Energy · Alliance for a Green Economy · Alliance for Clean Energy New York · Alliance for Climate Education · ALIGN · Campaign for Renewable Energy · Catskill Mountainkeeper · Citizens Campaign for the Environment · Citizens Climate Lobby – Long Island East · Code Pink, New York · Concerned Citizens of Montauk · Environment New York · Environmental Advocates of New York · Food & Water Watch · Fossil Free Tompkins · Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. · Long Island Association · Long Island Federation of Labor AFL-CIO · Long Island Progressive Coalition · National Wildlife Federation · Natural Resources Defense Council · New York City Friends of Clearwater · New Yorkers for Clean Power · Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, New York · New York Lawyers for the Public Interest · NYPIRG · Mothers Out Front · Oceana · Renewable Energy Long Island · Rockaway Wildfire · Sane Energy Project · Sierra Club · Solutions Project · United for Action · Working Families Organization
July 22, 2016
Hon. Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
New York State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
Dear Governor Cuomo:
The undersigned local, state and national organizations representing hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers write to express our deep concern and disappointment that the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) Board of Trustees postponed the vote scheduled for July 20, 2016, which was expected to advance New York’s first offshore wind farm over 30 miles from the East End of Long Island.
As you know, offshore wind power holds unmatched potential to provide New Yorkers with a clean, limitless, job-creating energy source. Our organizations have enthusiastically applauded your recent bold leadership in pursuit of offshore wind power for New York, including announcing: the development of an Offshore Wind Master Plan; NYSERDA’s intent to participate in the upcoming federal lease auction; and your strong support of LIPA moving forward with a historic commitment to New York’s first – and America’s largest – offshore wind project. As your recent statement indicated, committing to offshore wind power for the South Fork would “once again demonstrate New York’s leadership on climate change and help achieve the state’s ambitious goal of supplying 50 percent of our electricity from renewable energy by 2030.”
A timely commitment to offshore wind power this year is an important first step in building the long term, large scale offshore wind program for New York needed to achieve this laudable goal of 50 percent renewable energy by 2030. Our organizations have been calling for a specific offshore wind tier within the Clean Energy Standard to ensure that this transformational new energy source plays a major role in advancing New York’s clean energy economy.
We respectfully call on you to now follow through on your statement of support for offshore wind power off Long Island and work with LIPA to expeditiously reschedule this historic vote and launch offshore wind power for New York. As you’ve stated, this project is “another opportunity for this state to lead the nation in creating a stronger, more resilient energy system and protecting the environment for future generations.” It presents an opportunity for a national model that adheres to the principles deeply embedded in the Reforming the Energy Vision. The Long Island Power Authority’s Chief Executive Officer has also stated publically that this project is critical for ensuring the reliable, cost-effective and clean operation of the electric system on the South Fork. In the absence of this offshore wind project, LIPA will be forced to rely on dirty diesel power and add more polluting fossil-fueled power plants that will increase costs for all ratepayers and further contribute to dangerous air and climate pollution.
Now is the time to build New York’s clean, renewable energy future. We strongly urge you to take these needed steps forward to build a successful offshore wind program that will enable New York to lead the nation and ensure that offshore wind, together with land-based wind and solar, plays an important role in meeting your “50 by 30” renewables mandate.
Sincerely,
George Povall, Director Jeremy Samuelson, President
All Our Energy Concerned Citizens of Montauk
Jessica Azulay, Program Director Heather Leibowitz, Director
Alliance for a Green Economy Environment New York
Anne Reynolds, Executive Director Peter Iwanowicz, Executive Director
Alliance for Clean Energy New York Environmental Advocates of New York
Maayan Cohen, Deputy Director of Partnerships Alex Beauchamp, Northeast Region Director
Alliance for Climate Education Food & Water Watch
Matt Ryan, Executive Director Irene Wesier, Coordinator
ALIGN Fossil Free Tompkins
Brian Eden, Treasurer Manna Jo Greene, Environmental Director
Campaign for Renewable Energy Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc.
Katherine Nadeau, Program Director Kevin Law, President and CEO
Catskill Mountainkeeper Long Island Association
Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director John R. Durso, President
Citizens Campaign for the Environment Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
Don Matheson, Chapter Leader Lisa Tyson, Director
Citizens Climate Lobby – Long Island East Long Island Progressive Coalition
Alice Slater Curtis Fisher, Regional Executive Director
Code Pink, New York National Wildlife Federation
Katherine Kennedy, Director of Energy and Alexis Smallwood, Community Outreach
Transportation Program Coordinator
Natural Resources Defense Council Rockaway Wildfire
Edie Kantrowitz, President Kim Fraczek and Patrick Robbins, Co-Directors
New York City Friends of Clearwater Sane Energy Project
Betta Broad, Outreach Director Lisa Dix, Senior New York Representative
New Yorkers for Clean Power Sierra Club
Alice Slater Sarah Shanley Hope, Executive Director
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, New York Solutions Project
McGregor Smyth, Executive Director Ling Tsou, Co-founder
New York Lawyers for the Public Interest United for Action
Megan Ahearn, Program Director Stephan Edel, Policy Director
NYPIRG Working Families Organization
Neely Kelley, New York State Lead Organizer Gordian Raacke, Executive Director
Mothers Out Front Renewable Energy Long Island
Claire Douglass, Campaign Director, Climate and Energy
Oceana
CC:
Jim Malatras, Director of State Operations, Office of Governor
Richard Kauffman, Chairman of Energy and Finance for New York, Office of Governor
John Rhodes, President and CEO, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority Audrey Zibelman, Chair, New York State Public Service Commission
Basil Seggos, Commissioner, Department of Environmental Conservation
Rosemary Powers, Deputy Director of State Operations for Programs, Office of Governor Venetia Lannon, Deputy Secretary for the Environment, Office of the Governor
Kate Dineen, Assistant Secretary for the Environment, Office of Governor
New York State Senator Kenneth LaValle
New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr
Thomas Falcone, Chief Executive Officer, Long Island Power Authority
Michael Deering, Director of Customer Service and Program Oversight, Long Island Power Authority Ralph V. Suozzi, Chairman of the Board, Long Island Power Authority