A Letter to Governor Cuomo and legislative leaders
urging them to oppose the nuclear raid on clean energy funds of the New York State budget, in order to bail out old and unprofitable nuclear power plants
March 25, 2016
Hon. Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor
Executive Chamber
New York State Capitol
Albany, New York 12224
Hon. Carl E. Heastie
Speaker, New York State Assembly
LOB 932
Albany, New York 12248
Hon. John J. Flanagan
Temporary President, New York State Senate
State Capitol Room 332
Albany, New York 12247
Hon. Jeffrey Klein
Senate IDC
LOB Room 913
Albany, NY 12247
Hon. Andrea Stewart-Cousins
Democratic Conference Leader
LOB Room 907
Albany, NY 12247
Hon. Brian Kolb
Assembly Minority Leader
LOB Room 933
Albany, NY 12248
March 25, 2016
Dear Governor Cuomo and Legislative Leaders:
As negotiations over the State Budget continue, we, the undersigned 48 organizations, implore you to reject a proposal that would raid $100 million from critical clean energy programs for the purposes of bailing out Entergy’s unprofitable FitzPatrick nuclear plant in Upstate New York.
As negotiations over the State Budget continue, we, the undersigned 48 organizations, implore you to reject a proposal that would raid $100 million from critical clean energy programs for the purposes of bailing out Entergy’s unprofitable FitzPatrick nuclear plant in Upstate New York.
The nuclear proposal included in the Senate version of the budget would gut approximately 80% of NYSERDA’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) project budget, which funds programs that low- and middle- income residents, communities of color, and municipalities depend on to reduce their energy costs and move toward sustainable energy.
New York cannot afford to sacrifice these important programs in order to give a massive direct subsidy to one nuclear company. Any negative regional impacts of Entergy’s closure of the dirty and dangerous FitzPatrick nuclear plant can be managed in a much more effective way through regional economic development support, job training, nuclear decommissioning, and transitional support for workers and municipal budgets. It should not be done on the backs of New York’s most vulnerable residents and communities.
The programs in jeopardy include Green Jobs – Green New York, EmPower, Multifamily Performance Program, Home Performance with Energy Star, Climate Smart Communities, and Cleaner Greener Communities. These programs are of critical importance to constituencies across New York because they put resources in the hands of residents, community organizations, and municipalities to control energy costs and increase environmental sustainability. They directly help New York’s low and moderate income residents reduce their energy bills and improve the quality of their homes, while at the same time contributing to the State’s climate goals and creating jobs.
NYSERDA also uses RGGI dollars to support electric vehicles, renewable heat, and green business development. Those programs are also of importance to New York’s renewable energy future and should not be compromised.
We urge you to strongly oppose this RGGI raid so that New York’s clean energy programs remain intact and effective. The loss of these programs would be a devastating blow to our communities. We appreciate your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Alliance for a Green Economy
Jessica Azulay,
Program Director
Syracuse, NY
Atlantic Chapter of the Sierra Club
Roger Downs,
Conservation Director
Albany, NY
Chhaya CDC
Afreen Alam,
Executive Director
Jackson Heights, NY
Citizen Action of New York
Bob Cohen,
Policy Director
Albany, NY
Citizens' Environmental Coalition
Barbara Warren,
Executive Director
Cuddebackville, NY
Concerned Citizens of Otego
Dennis Higgins
Otego, NY
Dryden Resource Awareness Coalition
Marie McRae
Dryden, NY
Eco-Logic, WBAI-FM
Ken Gale,
Producer
New York, NY
Engineers for a Sustainable Society Club, SUNY ESF
Jessica Emmedson
Syracuse, NY
Equity Energy LLC
Norman Farwell
Partner
Fly Creek, NY
Farmers and Families for Claverack
Ian Solomon
Claverack, NY
Fossil Free Tompkins
Irene Weiser,
Coordinator
Ithaca, NY
Gas Free Seneca
Yvonne Taylor,
Vice President
Watkins Glen, NY
NYC Safe Energy Campaign
Ken Gale,
Founder
New York, NY
Otsego County Conservation Association
Darla M. Youngs,
Executive Director
Cooperstown, NY
Partnership for the Public Good
Sam Magvern,
Co-Director
Buffalo, NY
PathStone
Scott Oliver
Rochester, NY
Peace Action of New York State
Jim Anderson,
President
New York, NY
Pilgrim-St. Luke's United Church of Christ
Rev. Justo Gonzalez,
Pastor
Buffalo, NY
Plymouth Friends of Clean Water
Peter Hudiburg,
Founder
South
Plymouth, NY
PUSH Buffalo
Clarke Gocker,
Director of Policy and Strategy
Buffalo, NY
R-CAUSE
Anna Sears,
Co-Founder
Rochester, NY
RUPCO, Inc.
Guy Thomas Kempe,
VP Community Development,
Program Director GJGNY
Hudson Valley
Kingston, NY
Sierra Club Niagara Group
Pamela Hughes,
Chairperson
Tonawanda, NY
Buffalo Energy, Inc.
Fred Fellendorf,
President
Buffalo, NY
Campaign for Renewable Energy
Brian Eden
Ithaca, NY
Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES)
Lilah Mejia
New York, NY
Green Party of NY
Ursula Rozum,
Secretary
Syracuse, NY
GreeningUSA, Inc.
John Przepiora,
President
Syracuse, NY
GroOperative, Inc.
Henry Raess,
Co-founder
Buffalo, NY
Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
Manna Jo Greene,
Environmental Director
Beacon, NY
Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition
Michel Lee,
Leadership Council
Ossining, NY
Manhattan Project for a Nuclear-Free World
Mari Inoue
New York, NY
Milford Doers/Residents of Crumhorn Mtn.
Otto Butz,
Founder
Maryland, NY
New York City Friends of Clearwater
Edie Kantrowitz,
President
Brooklyn, NY
Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson
Jonathan Bix,
Executive Director
Poughkeepsie, NY
Nuclear Free World Committee of Syracuse Peace Council
Diane Swords,
Committee Chair
Syracuse, NY
Social Ventures
Sara Hess
Ithaca, NY
Solar Liberty
Nathan Rizzo,
Vice President
Williamsville, NY
Sustainable Hudson Valley
Melissa Everett, Ph.D.,
Executive Director
Kingston, NY
Sustainable McDonough
Steve Ellsworth,
Board Member
McDonough, NY
Sustainable Tompkins
Gay Nicholson,
President
Ithaca, NY
Syracuse Peace Council
Carol Baum,
Staff Organizer
Syracuse, NY
Syracuse United Neighbors, Inc
Richard Puchalski,
Executive Director
Syracuse, NY
The Green Resource Hub of the Finger Lakes
Maribeth Rubenstein,
President of the Board
Ithaca, NY
United for Action
Edie Kantrowitz,
Board Member
New York, NY
Western New York Environmental Alliance
Lynda Schneekloth,
Advocacy Chair
Buffalo, NY