Groups Respond to LIPA’s Postponement of Offshore Wind Vote

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