Converging crises call for converging solutions
By Sarah Golden - “In the words of President-elect Joe Biden, America is facing four historic colliding crises: the economy; a pandemic; systemic racism; and climate chaos.
These aren’t four separate asteroids all coincidentally headed our way at once. They’re intertwined and part of the same challenges; they’re the consequence of decades of actions and inactions that are boiling over and activating one another. It stands to reason that we couldn’t silo solutions.”
North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) and ØRSTED signed landmark MOU for U.S. offshore wind workforce transition
November 18, 2020 – Ørsted, the global leader in offshore wind development, announced today a landmark initiative with North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), the labor organization representing more than 3 million skilled craft professionals. The partnership will create a national agreement designed to transition U.S. union construction workers into the offshore wind industry in collaboration with the leadership of the 14 U.S. NABTU affiliates and the AFL-CIO. Click Here for the full NABTU press release
Climate Jobs New York News Long Island Report
October was a busy month for Climate Jobs NY. Please Click Here to learn more. To receive our monthly reports, please Click Here.
Climate Jobs NY Public Comment on the South Fork Wind Project
October 28, 2020
VIA ELECTRONIC DELIVERY
Honorable Anthony Belsito
Administrative Law Judge
New York State Department of Public Service Three Empire Plaza Albany, New York 12233-1350
Re: Case 18-T-0604 – Application of Deepwater Wind South Fork, LLC for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need for the Construction of Approximately 3.5 Miles (3.1 Nautical Miles) (138 kilovolt [kV]) of Submarine Export Cable from the New York State Territorial Waters Boundary to the South Shore of the Town of East Hampton in Suffolk County and Approximately 4.1 Miles (138 kV) of Terrestrial Export Cable from the South Shore of the Town of East Hampton to an Interconnection Facility with an Interconnection Cable Connecting to the Existing East Hampton Substation, in the Town of East Hampton in Suffolk County
Dear Judge Belsito:
Climate Jobs NY (CJNY) is a broad and growing statewide coalition of labor unions representing more than 2.6 million working New Yorkers. Our mission is to advocate for a clean energy economy at the scale climate science demands, create good union jobs, and support more equitable communities and a more resilient New York.
I am writing regarding the Joint Proposal (JP) submitted on September 17, 2020 in this proceeding. After nearly a year of in-person and virtual correspondence between the parties, South Fork Wind submitted the JP. While the JP does not deviate significantly from the original design, location or operations that was submitted in 2018, this JP provides additional mitigation efforts to address local community concerns. Climate Jobs NY supports the JP and urges the approval of the Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need to allow the construction, maintenance and operation of the 138 kilovolt (kV) export cable that will bring clean renewable energy into Long Island’s grid.
The JP’s additional mitigation efforts include construction, environmental, and fishery concerns of local residents, businesses and mariners. To highlight a few of the provisions, there is a commitment to maintain access to Wainscott Beach during construction for pedestrians, emergency vehicles, etc; a commitment to limit construction activities to the off-season months; a comprehensive fisheries compensation plan; and town and community notice and construction monitoring requirements.
The Beach Lane route mitigates community and environmental impacts as demonstrated in numerous geotechnical field surveys, samplings, and studies both on land and in the water. This route and related infrastructure upgrades will increase the resilience of Long Island’s transmission infrastructure and inject clean, renewable energy into the grid. This is the clear option to responsibly develop offshore wind energy. It is worth highlighting that the East Hampton Trustees have unanimously approved the JP and five NYS agencies have invested extensive time and expertise in this process and have also signed onto this agreement. Overall, the JP clearly demonstrates a methodical and thoughtful approach to working with the community to actualize New York’s first offshore wind project.
Offshore wind power is central to the clean energy economy of the future, and Long Island is poised to take a leading role in its development. Governor Cuomo has set a nation-leading goal of 9,000 megawatts of electricity from OSW by the year 2035, New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) has mandated that 70 percent of New York’s electricity generation come from renewable energy by 2030, and at least three major OSW projects are to be sited off Long Island shores. These projects offer significant opportunity for economic development and the creation of good union green jobs, and they will help establish a foothold for Long Island in what will be a major industry in the near future—all while playing an important role in combating climate change. The three currently awarded projects are projected to create more than 1,600 new jobs and generate $3.2 billion in private investment.
The South Fork Wind project is crucial in serving a local demand for energy. It is also New York’s inaugural offshore wind project and sets the stage for offshore wind development in NYS. A timely result will provide confidence to the industry that New York is open for business. It is exactly the type of project needed to promote a green economic recovery. We urge that the Commission adopt the JP and associated documents without modification and move the project forward without additional delays.
Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully submitted,
Mariah Dignan
Long Island Organizer
Climate Jobs NY
WPKN’s Francesca Rheannon spoke with Mariah Dignan of CJNY to find out more about the coalition’s work
WPKN’s Francesca Rheannon spoke with Mariah Dignan of Climate Jobs NY to find out more about the coalition’s work: https://soundcloud.com/user-501345111/mariah-dignan
Here’s the transcript from the interview:
Next on the WPKN. Evening Report, 150,000 new good-paying jobs. That's the forecast for what New York's groundbreaking climate law the CLCPA is likely to create in the next decade as the state begins its transition to a 100% renewable economy. The labor coalition Climate Jobs New York (CJNY) is stepping up to help make that transition happen and to ensure that many of those good jobs will go to low and moderate-income communities. WP's Francesco Rhiannon spoke with Mariah Dignan of CJNY to find out more about the coalition's work.
Francesca Rheannon
Welcome to WPKN. You are the Long Island organizer for CJNY. First, tell us about Climate Jobs. When and why did it form?
Mariah Dignan
Thank you, Francesca and WPKN, for having me. CJNY is a growing coalition of labor unions representing 2.6 million working New Yorkers advancing a pro-worker and pro-climate agenda. We're committed to building a clean energy economy at the scale that climate science demands while creating good union jobs and supporting equitable communities. CJNY really formed out of a response to Hurricane Sandy. We saw our workers, our fellow community members really hit hard by that storm in particular, and it was kind of a wake-up call for the labor movement to become more involved in this environmental justice and climate action movement. So, following a report from the Workers Institute of Cornell, our labor leaders took action by forming CJNY. And here I am, boots on the ground, trying to galvanize the support of our local rank and file members to become labor climate activists. And we're really hitting the ground running so I’m excited to get started here.
Francesca Rheannon
You know, in a video that you sent me about CJNY, it's not only centered around the issue of climate but also essentially around the issue of income inequality. Talk about these two issues; Why is the labor movement making a link between them, and in what way is CJNY working on both these issues.
Mariah Dignan
So, we have a unique set of circumstances before us. We have a climate crisis and we have an inequality crisis. More often than not communities that are hit hardest by climate change are those who are low-income, black, brown, and indigenous communities. Our labor movement recognizes these inequalities and how we need to come together and act on this, I would say that CJNY in particular, is working with environmental justice advocates. We're working with our rank and file members to really hear and listen, I think the key is listening to what these communities have had to say on how the status quo has been for so long. And we have a unique opportunity here to create a whole new industry, a once in a generation opportunity to put Long Island at the center of a green economic recovery. And the right way to do that is to make sure that all communities and all voices are being heard, especially those who have been impacted by climate change the most.
Francesca Rheannon
So, let's unpack that a little bit. You know, the New York Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, CLCPA, is talking about a Just Transition. And part of that trust transition? Well, it seems to go into two major areas: One is helping people who are in the fossil fuel industry transition to a clean energy economy and the other is providing good jobs, as you say to people who have been on the front lines of experiencing the impacts of climate, poor and lower-income communities. So, take the first one first, what is CJNY? How did they see making a Just Transition for workers who are already in the fossil fuel industry?
Mariah Dignan
We have our great activists and academic extraordinaire, Lara Skinner, on the state's Just Transition Working Group so, we're actively working with folks in these fossil fuel and gas organizations. And those locals are really showing a great interest in and realizing that we need to transition away from fossil fuels, but we need to make sure that our members are protected. And they can retain these great jobs that are coming to fruition in the renewable energy industry. So, having honest conversations with our members, with our community leaders, with our elected officials, and other stakeholders in that Just Transition working group is really going to be key to making this a reality. And the conversations are happening right now. And I can tell you, there is great momentum and great positive movement forward happening at the moment. It's very exciting.
Francesca Rheannon
And so now what about the Just Transition aspect of a green recovery from this pandemic? How is this aspect of CJNY working to bring jobs to poor and lower-income communities and often communities of color?
Mariah Dignan
It's all about grassroots organizing, right? And the labor movement is historically great at really bringing people together and rallying the troops for the common cause of social-economic justice. And what we're really focusing for the past upwards of 5- 10 years is recruiting and training folks to get them into our apprenticeship programs, and to do the work of getting into each community. You know, just as well as I that, on Long Island, we tend to have our siloed neighborhoods, our siloed communities. And it's difficult sometimes to get into those communities, but that's something we've done a great job in, and we continue to learn and grow while we do this is getting into the communities that are often and have often been left behind. So retaining and training, and getting folks into an apprenticeship program where you earn while you learn, you become part of a movement, that's all about family-sustaining wages, and creating good opportunities for communities because you're not only part of the labor movement, you know, our rank and file members, their community members, their residents. And we want to make sure that we're doing the due diligence of civics of getting involved in your community, because this is what we're all here together for in solidarity is what we always say, in the labor movement. And we mean it.
Francesca Rheannon
What kinds of jobs are you really talking about first and second, explain the idea of prevailing wage. I know, we often hear about that, but I'm not sure a whole lot of people are sure what that means. So, the kinds of jobs that we're talking about?
Mariah Dignan
So, the kinds of jobs we're talking about a whole new career as offshore turbine technicians that exist in Europe but aren’t really existing here in the United States, because we don't have the industry at the moment. But we're working hard on changing that. We're going to need electricians; we're going to need painters; we're going to need Operating Engineers. These are the types of locals and trades that we're going to need to be a part of this industry. And that's just on the construction building trade side of it. We also need, engineers, surveyors and meteorological studies. There's a wide range of real true opportunity to create a career pipeline opportunity, where we can start really engaging kids, and showing them, hey, look, these are the kinds of opportunities that are going to come online in the next four or five years right here on Long Island.
And we see people my age, leave, and they don't come back from school, or they find another opportunity across the country. And here's a really unique opportunity that we can really put Long Island at the center of that. So those are the types of jobs we're talking about. And when we talk about prevailing wage, this is really an average wage paid to a particular employer for a specific occupation. So, you know, if you're working on a state project, or if you're working in a construction project, you have to meet this minimum definely hourly wage to your workers. And the prevailing wage is the minimum of what we need to give to folks to have a meaningful family-sustaining wage. What the labor movement does, is, you know, we advocate. That's our starting point. We want to make sure that these are good, family-sustaining union jobs. And, thanks to Governor Cuomo's leadership, we got that into the commitments for the state projects for offshore wind. We're working on getting the next phase of operations and maintenance, the long-term 25-year career opportunities that are going to come from offshore wind, and making sure that those are good union jobs as well.
Francesca Rheannon
Now, it's more than just offshore wind. So, talk a little bit about solar, but then also talk about the South Fork Wind Farm. This is a project that is, you know, been in the works now for a couple of years, and has been experiencing a lot of pushback by some deep-pocketed people in a very Tony, part of East Hampton, New York called Wainscott, which has really slowed down the work and really kind of push it off for a while. So, tell us about the South Fork Wind Farm and what CJNY is doing about that?
Mariah Dignan
To meet the nation-leading CLCPA standard, it's not only going to take offshore wind, it's going to take the goal of six gigawatts of distributed solar by 2025 and three gigawatts of battery storage by 2030. So, it really is a holistic approach of what a whole clean energy economy really looks like. Now to talk about our first offshore wind project in New York State. We have the South Fork Wind Project, that is 15 turbines that will power 70,000 homes and was the result of a 2015 LIPA RFP or request for a proposal to really address the energy constraints of the East End. We have done great grassroots organizing and mobilization of folks in the East End, whether it's our teachers or people in the community, Win With Wind is a great source of knowledge and talks about the facts. And with our Wind Works Long Island Coalition that we launched this past Earth Day, we're really seeing the shift in the conversation about the importance and the resounding, you know, upwards towards the high 70% of the support that Eastern residents have for offshore wind power off Long Island shores.
To get to your nitty-gritty point about our opposition over in Wainscott. We are facing a lot of wealthy folks who are upset about the cable landing in particular. But here's
the thing, when we talk about bringing and creating a whole new industry, there's going to be some and necessarily you got to bring that power onshore, right. And we got to make sure that we're thoughtful and we do the surveys, we look at the beach, we look at the path to getting that power, that zero carbon emission energy into our Long Island grid. And the Wainscott route is the way to do that. And I have to say, you know, through this entire process, it's been about a 10-month negotiation between the parties in the matter. There have been great mitigation efforts, including when construction can take place, and really listening to the concerns of the community and adjusting project plans based on that. And as long as there's honest and forthcoming communication and facts being delivered. I don't know what more we can talk about here other than let's work together and really get it done right. Let's all really show our commitment to clean, renewable energy. And that's what this project brings for us here.
Francesca Rheannon
Well, on that note, Mariah Dignan I want to thank you so much for talking with us here on the evening report for WPKN. It's been great speaking with you.
Mariah Dignan
Likewise and thank you again for having me.
CLIMATE JOBS NY STATEMENT SUPPORTING PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ORDER ON CLEAN ENERGY STANDARD
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 15, 2020
CONTACT: Jeff Vockrodt, Executive Director, jvockrodt@climatejobsny.org, 917-818-3143
CLIMATE JOBS NY STATEMENT SUPPORTING PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ORDER ON CLEAN ENERGY STANDARD
Governor Cuomo’s announcement today that the Public Service Commission has approved an expanded Clean Energy Standard is a crucial step forward in advancing bold climate action and good jobs in New York. The Commission’s order lays out a path to achieving the state’s goal of 70 percent renewable power by 2030 and takes important steps to realize the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s goals of combating climate change and creating good jobs and careers for New Yorkers.
The Commission’s order provides a predictable framework for developers and builds on principles of equity, high-road employment and responsible contracting advocated by Climate Jobs NY. Through the use of project labor agreements and prevailing wage requirements, for example, the order will both promote positive economic development and ensure the success of these crucial renewable projects. And the Commission has taken steps to prioritize economic development in disadvantaged communities, including rewarding community workforce agreements and apprenticeship programs in disadvantaged communities and requiring clear assessments of projects’ benefits and burdens in those communities.
Climate Jobs NY is committed to working with the administration, NYSERDA, and our environmental justice, community and business allies to ensure the success of New York’s vision for a clean-energy economy that works for everyone.
Gary LaBarbera, President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and Climate Jobs NY Executive Committee member, said, "Governor Cuomo’s announcement today is an important step forward in securing a clean-energy future built with good union jobs and careers. Today’s order provides a framework that developers can plan around, and it’s yet another reminder that we don’t need to choose between bold climate action and good-paying jobs.”
Vincent Alvarez, President of the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, and Climate Jobs NY Executive Committee member, said, "We appreciate the administration’s action on this expanded Clean Energy Standard and will continue to work with NYSERDA and others to make sure scaling up renewable energy in New York means putting tens of thousands of New
Yorkers to work in family-sustaining, community-supporting jobs, helping to fuel a green recovery from this economic crisis.”
Jeff Vockrodt, Executive Director of Climate Jobs NY, said, "Today’s announcement is an important milestone. This new Clean Energy Standard moves us one step closer to the future we want to see here in New York, and we look forward to working with our partners in the administration and across the state to keep building a clean-energy economy and a more just and resilient New York.”
ABOUT CLIMATE JOBS NY
Climate Jobs NY (CJNY) is a growing coalition of labor unions—representing more than 2.6 million working New Yorkers—united to combat climate change and reverse inequality. CJNY’s mission is to advocate for a clean energy economy at the scale climate science demands, create good union jobs, and support more equitable communities and a more resilient New York. CJNY’s members include the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, the New York State AFL-CIO, the Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, the Long Island Federation of Labor, Utility Workers Union of America Local 1-2, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 30, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 3, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Third District, the United Association Plumbers and Pipefitters in New York State, 32BJ SEIU, the New York State Nurses Association, Laborers International Union Local 79, AFSCME District Council 37, the Transport Workers Union of America, and Transport Workers Union Local 100.
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Governor Cuomo Announces Addition of 10 Electric Buses to Regional Transit Service Fleet in Rochester
Represents First Step in Transit Service Electrifying 25% of its Fleet by 2025 as Announced in Governor Cuomo's 2020 State of the State Address
Six Electric Buses Now in Service for RTS in the Finger Lakes Region, Remaining Four Buses to go into Service this November
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority has added the first 10 electric buses to its Regional Transit Service fleet, or RTS, which serves more than 1.1 million New Yorkers in eight-counties of the Finger Lakes Region, part of an ongoing effort to reduce carbon emissions produced by traditional diesel-fuel buses. As announced in the Governor's State of the State address earlier this year, RTS and four other transit agencies have committed to having a 25% electric bus fleet by 2025 and a 100% electric fleet by 2035. Today's announcement puts RTS on pace to exceed that goal.
"New York is the nation's leader when it comes to combatting climate change and as part of these efforts we are electrifying transit buses in Rochester and across the state to reduce our carbon footprint," Governor Cuomo said. "Our state will continue to invest in our infrastructure and clean energy to promote sustainability and create a cleaner environment for future generations of New Yorkers."
"New York is leading the nation in our ambitious clean energy goals and efforts to combat climate change," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "The addition of these electric buses to Rochester's regional transit service fleet is part of our overall plans to have a 25% electric bus fleet statewide over the next five years and 100% by 2035. We thank RTS for partnering with us to reach our goals and help ensure a cleaner and greener environment for future generations and the health and safety of our planet."
In April 2017, Governor Cuomo announced funding for RTS to acquire its first electric buses and associated charging equipment. RTS anticipates having 20 electric buses and charging infrastructure in place by the end of 2021 and estimates its fleet will be 35% electric by 2025, exceeding the Governor's goals and on pace to have a fully electric fleet by 2035.
The total cost of the 10 buses and associated charging infrastructure is approximately $12 million:
$7.0 million administered by the New York State Department of Transportation,
$2.3 million of $127.7 million in Volkswagen diesel emissions settlement funds, administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and implemented by NYSERDA and NYPA,
$1.7 million provided by the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority, and
$1.0 million from the Federal Transit Administration
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, "Under Governor Cuomo's leadership, New York State continues to make smart, sustainable investments in our transportation systems that will result in a reduced carbon footprint across the Empire State benefiting generations to come. DOT is excited to lead the way in addressing our changing climate and supporting the electrification of public transit systems here in Rochester and across the state."
Rep. Rice, Local Leaders, Members of New York Delegation Call for Federal Action on Long Island Offshore Wind Development
By: Targeted News Service
LONG BEACH, New York, Aug. 27 -- Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-New York, issued the following news release on Aug. 26:
Today U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice (NY-04) was joined by local environmental and labor leaders at a press conference calling for the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) to designate final Wind Energy Areas in the New York Bight and hold new lease auctions before the end of 2020. Earlier this morning, Rice sent a bipartisan letter to DOI formally calling for the designations with her New York colleagues; Representatives Tom Reed (NY-23), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Eliot Engel (NY-16), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Grace Meng (NY-06), and Max Rose (NY-11).
"Offshore wind is a vital part of our renewable energy future in New York and up and down the Eastern Seaboard," said Rep. Kathleen Rice. "Making the switch to clean, renewable energy is the only chance we have against climate change, so delaying these projects is not only harmful to the environment and to public health, but also a hinderance to our economy which will reap the rewards of thousands of new jobs from this industry. The Department of Interior must move this process forward and clear the way for new offshore wind projects to get underway."
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), a federal agency within DOI, was scheduled to announce Wind Energy Areas in early 2019. Yet over a year and a half later, the final designations have still not been made. Final designations must be made prior to lease auctions for developers to bid on the right to apply for federal permits to construct wind projects in these areas.
Several individuals and groups joined Rice in supporting the call for action, including New York State Senator Todd Kaminsky, New York Offshore Wind Alliance, New York League of Conservation Voters, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Climate Jobs NY, Long Island Association, American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA).
"New York has begun to unleash the potential of wind energy to greatly benefit our environment and economy," says Senator Todd Kaminsky, Chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee. "But there is so much more left to do, and it all begins with the federal government opening up more space for development. I am pleased to work with Congresswoman Rice to encourage and incentivize the production of clean, renewable energy."
"The designation and leasing of new wind energy areas (WEAs) in the New York Bight means thousands of family wage jobs for New Yorkers, upgrades and investments in New York ports, reduced pollution and greenhouse gases and billions of dollars in new investments," said Joe Martens, Director of the New York Offshore Wind Alliance. "The New York Offshore Wind Alliance thanks Congresswoman Rice and the members of the NY Congressional delegation that are urging Secretary Bernhardt to complete the designation and leasing of the NY Bight WEAs. The sooner this process is completed, the sooner New York will reap the enormous jobs, investment and environmental benefits of offshore wind."
"Leaders like Congresswoman Rice know that clean energy creates green jobs and green jobs are local jobs," said Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters. "The wind energy areas in the NY Bight represent an untapped potential for Long Island to lead New York State's effort to reduce its carbon footprint. Investing in these areas is also an important opportunity for our economic recovery. It will create well-paying jobs, slash emissions, and reduce energy costs - a win-win for the environment and the economy. We thank Congresswoman Rice for her partnership on this important issue, and the members of the NY Congressional delegation who joined her in calling on BOEM to finalize the Wind Energy Area designations in the New York Bight."
"Climate change impacts are already a reality on Long Island. We are documenting sea level rise, warmer temperatures, a loss of cold-water species, ocean acidification, and extreme weather events that put our health, ecosystem, and communities in danger," said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. "According to NOAA, we could be heading for a future where our barrier islands and a much of the south shore will be flooded or underwater by 2100. New York must meet its renewable energy goals, decarbonize the power sector, and implement a just transition away from fossil fuels if we are going to fight climate change locally. We cannot meet our state climate change targets without offshore wind, and we cannot afford to wait as the federal government drags its feet in designating wind energy development areas off of our shores. Action today will keep us safer tomorrow."
"Rep. Kathleen Rice clearly understands what's at stake. By releasing the final wind energy areas in the NY bight, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) can propel the offshore wind industry forward in New York and throughout the Northeast," said Mariah Dignan, Long Island Organizer for Climate Jobs NY. "Climate Jobs NY thanks Congresswoman Rice for her leadership and the dozen local members of congress who signed onto the letter to Secretary Bernhardt. We truly have a once in a generation opportunity to put Long Island at the center of a green economic recovery. Offshore wind development is poised to create thousands of good union jobs while stabilizing energy costs and having a significant impact on emissions. Our future lies with the clean energy economy."
"Additional investments in offshore wind and renewable energy jobs will help strengthen the Long Island economy, and thus we support Congresswoman Rice's efforts to have the Department of Interior designate final Wind Energy Areas in the New York Bight," said Kevin S. Law, President & CEO of the Long Island Association.
"New York state has established itself as a leader in clean energy commitments and specifically in supporting the development of the offshore wind industry, which stands to deliver a boost to the New York economy during a time when it's needed most. Recent research shows that offshore wind in the New York Bight holds a big opportunity not only for coastal New Yorkers but across the regional economy," said Tom Kiernan, Chief Executive Officer at the American Wind Energy Association. "Once this abundant domestic energy source is unleashed, it will deliver tens of thousands of new jobs, revitalize communities and expand manufacturing opportunities that will benefit both the economy and the environment. The time is now to turn this into a reality and we applaud Representative Rice for urging the Department of Interior designate the final wind energy areas and hold new lease auctions in the New York Bight."
"Businesses across America are ready to invest, hire and build new offshore wind projects. A new study by Wood Mackenzie predicts that the next expected wind lease sale offshore New York could support more than 32,000 jobs annually and more than $3.2 billion in annual wages during the development and construction phase alone," said Erik Milito, President of the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA). "Once the U.S. Department of the Interior holds new offshore wind lease sales, New Yorkers and other Americans will welcome a much-needed boost of infrastructure spending, energy security, and shovel-ready jobs with good wages."
New York State Offshore Wind Background:
Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act on July 18, 2019, which established a legally binding commitment to generate 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035, enough energy to power up to six million homes. Currently, New York State is poised to benefit from three proposed offshore wind projects in federal waters: Empire Wind (816 megawatts, 15-20 miles south of Jones Beach), Sunrise Wind (880 megawatts, 30 miles east of Montauk), and South Fork Wind (130 megawatts, 35 miles east of Montauk). Additional projects are needed in order for the state to achieve 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2035. However, new projects cannot get underway until BOEM finalizes the Wind Energy Areas and holds new lease auctions.
Climate Jobs NY participating in Rep. Rice Press Conference Calling on the Federal Government to Greenlight Long Island Offshore Wind Development
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 25, 2020
CONTACT: Mariah Dignan, Long Island Organizer, mdignan@climatejobsny.org 917-708-5474
Climate Jobs NY participating in Rep. Rice Press Conference Calling on the Federal Government to Greenlight Long Island Offshore Wind Development
Here is the Congresswoman’s official Press Release:
Tomorrow, August 26, at 11:15 a.m., U.S. Representative Rice will host a Press Conference calling on the Federal Government to Greenlight Long Island Offshore Wind Development.
Rice is urging the Department of Interior (DOI) to designate development areas in the New York Bight and hold new lease auctions before the end of 2020
LONG BEACH, NY – Tomorrow morning, U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice (NY-04) will host a press conference with local leaders to call on the Department of Interior (DOI) to designate final Wind Energy Areas in the New York Bight and hold new lease auctions before the end of 2020. Following the press conference, Rice will send a bipartisan letter to DOI formally calling for the designations with her New York colleagues; Representatives Tom Reed (NY-23), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), Jerry Nadler (NY-10), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Eliot Engel (NY-16), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Grace Meng (NY-06), and Max Rose (NY-11).
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), a federal agency within DOI, was scheduled to announce Wind Energy Areas in early 2019, yet over a year and a half later, the final designations have yet to be made. Final designations must be made prior to lease auctions for developers to bid on the right to apply for federal permits to construct wind projects in these areas.
The event is open to members of the media. Masks are mandatory and social distancing must be practiced. Please RSVP to Stuart Malec at stuart.malec@mail.house.gov.
WHO: U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice (NY-04)
New York State Senator Todd Kaminsky
Joe Martens, Director of the New York Offshore Wind Alliance
Josh Klainberg, Executive Vice President of the New York League of Conservation
Voters
Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of the Citizens Campaign for the
Environment
Mariah Dignan, Long Island Organizer for Climate Jobs NY
WHAT: Press conference to urge federal action on Long Island offshore wind development
WHERE: Long Beach Boardwalk (Grand Blvd. Entrance)
WHEN: Wednesday, August 26 at 11:15 a.m.
From Climate Jobs NY:
Mariah Dignan, Long Island Organizer for Climate Jobs NY said, “Rep. Kathleen Rice clearly understands what’s at stake. By releasing the final wind energy areas in the NY bight, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) can propel the offshore wind industry forward in New York and throughout the Northeast. Climate Jobs NY thanks Congresswoman Rice for her leadership and the dozen local members of congress who signed onto the letter to Secretary Bernhardt. We truly have a once in a generation opportunity to put Long Island at the center of a green economic recovery. Offshore wind development is poised to create thousands of good union jobs while stabilizing energy costs and having a significant impact on emissions. Our future lies with the clean energy economy.”
ABOUT CLIMATE JOBS NY
Climate Jobs NY (CJNY) is a growing coalition of labor unions—representing more than 2.6 million working New Yorkers—united to combat climate change and reverse inequality. CJNY’s mission is to advocate for a clean energy economy at the scale climate science demands, create good union jobs, and support more equitable communities and a more resilient New York. CJNY’s members include the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, the New York State AFL-CIO, the Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, the Long Island Federation of Labor, Utility Workers Union of America Local 1-2, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 3, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Third District, the United Association Plumbers and Pipefitters in New York State, 32BJ SEIU, the New York State Nurses Association, Laborers International Union Local 79, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 30, AFSCME District Council 37, the Transport Workers Union of America, and Transport Workers Union Local 100.
New York, New Jersey hesitant on offshore grid planning amid federal uncertainty
By SAMANTHA MALDONADO and MARIE J. FRENCH
ALBANY — New York and New Jersey may have their offshore wind goals nailed down, but how to bring the power to land remains very much in the air.
Transporting electricity produced by wind turbines off the coasts of New York and New Jersey to shore requires a decision: should states guide a planned grid offshore or let each project developer go it alone?
So far the two states have opted to let offshore wind developers plot their own path for transmission lines to connect to their grids. That may ultimately result in higher costs, missed opportunities and an inability to advance future offshore developments.
Both states are examining the issue of transmitting offshore wind to shore and plugging it into some of the oldest electric infrastructure in the country.
“If we're going to have a complete revolution of where we get our power from, it only makes sense that you're going to plan out how to get that power to shore,” said Janice Fuller, president of New Jersey OceanGrid, a division of transmission developer Anbaric. “It can't be left to this one-at-a-time, we’ll figure it out as we go [process]. ... We only have one opportunity to do this right."
With each new award to an offshore wind developer who picks the least-cost and best-located point to hook into the grid, the number of places to interconnect decreases and potential upgrade costs increase. That may raise the bids submitted by wind developers to states seeking thousands of megawatts to support their climate goals.
A major barrier to policymakers moving ahead with detailed plans for an offshore grid is the lack of clarity on where new wind projects might be sited. The federal government is slow-walking new leases off the area’s coastline, making any planning nebulous.
“It is harder to make material progress on transmission issues on the wet side when you don’t know where the lease areas will be located,” said Doreen Harris, interim president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
As it stands, there may not be enough capacity in the leased areas to meet the two state’s goals: a combined 16.5 gigawatts by 2035.
Setting up an offshore grid to collect electricity generated from multiple wind projects and making proactive onshore upgrades to the grid could ensure lower overall costs for electricity customers, and prevent major additional work on land. Fewer cables could minimize impacts on traditional maritime interests, including shipping and fishing.
“From Anbaric’s perspective, there’s risk mitigation through planning transmission. If you're making decisions about transmission ahead of time or in parallel with your construction of generation, you can help to de-risk some of this," Fuller said.
She added that a backbone grid would likely work effectively because it would mean fewer transmission lines and less destruction to the community.
US could avoid 4.5M early deaths by fighting climate change, study finds
BY REBECCA BEITSCH - 08/05/20
The U.S. stands to avoid 4.5 million premature deaths if it works to keep global temperatures from rising by more than 2 degree Celsius, according to new research from Duke University.
The same study found working to limit climate change could prevent about 3.5 million hospitalizations and emergency room visits and approximately 300 million lost workdays in America.
“The avoided deaths are valued at more than $37 trillion. The avoided health care spending due to reduced hospitalizations and emergency room visits exceeds $37 billion, and the increased labor productivity is valued at more than $75 billion,” Drew Shindell, a professor at Duke University, told lawmakers Wednesday.
“On average, this amounts to over $700 billion per year in benefits to the U.S. from improved health and labor alone, far more than the cost of the energy transition.”
Shindell, who conducted the study alongside researchers at NASA, unveiled the findings during a House Oversight Committee hearing on the economic and health consequences of climate change.
The study aimed to show the benefits to the U.S. if the nation sticks with the goal of the Paris Climate Accord, which President Trump has formally moved to leave. The U.S. cannot officially exit the agreement until Nov. 4 — the day after the presidential election.
Shindell encouraged committee members to transition away from fossil fuels, a move that would help ease climate change while also spurring health benefits from reduced air pollution.
The benefits could be seen in the relatively short term.
“Roughly 1.4 million lives could be saved from improved air quality during the next 20 years. As we’ve seen with the coronavirus lockdowns in many places, air pollution responds immediately to emissions reductions,” he said.
“Our work shows that action now means benefits now.”
Democrats have introduced a number of bills to combat climate change, but they’ve failed to get much traction.
The House passed a $1.5 trillion green infrastructure package in July, but the Republican-led Senate isn’t expected to take it up.
Just one day earlier, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis unveiled its road map for solving the climate crisis.
Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) said lawmakers need to focus on tackling the problem despite the current coronavirus pandemic.
“Handling one crisis does not negate our responsibility to face another.”
What’s the Connection between COVID-19 and Climate Change? Inequality
By Lara Skinner, Executive Director of The Worker Institute at Cornell and Chair of the institute's Labor Leading on Climate Initiative
The triple crises of COVID-19, climate change and soaring inequality present a moment of great peril and opportunity for the U.S.
The COVID-19 global health pandemic has both highlighted and deepened the dangerous levels of inequality that currently exist in the U.S. Too many Americans – especially people of color and immigrants – lack access to paid sick leave, health care and other resources that help protect against the spread of COVID-19. This includes many frontline workers who are underpaid and undervalued for the “essential” work they do to keep our economy running and our families cared for.
Growing inequality of income, wealth, power, and opportunity has made the U.S. particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. Forty two percent of the U.S. population earns less than $15 an hour. More than 27 million Americans do not have health insurance. And, seven out of 10 low-wage workers do not have paid sick days (according to the Century Foundation, Making the Economic Case for a $15 Minimum Wage; Kaiser Family Foundation; PaidSickDays.org). Lacking union representation, the vast majority of our workforce does not have a collective, democratic voice on the job to negotiate paid time off, health insurance, personal protective equipment or the terms of layoff during an economic downturn like the one caused by COVID-19.
For people familiar with climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic can feel like an eerie clarion call for our potential future or for some, a flashback to past climate-driven extreme weather events such as Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy and Maria. Like COVID-19, climate change is a major public health and economic crisis layered on top of the crisis of inequality we already face. In other words, the most vulnerable in our society – women, immigrants, communities of color and low-income families – are hurt first and worst.
Inequality of wealth and power also plays a significant role in why the U.S. hasn’t done more to address the climate crisis or protect low-income, communities of color from COVID-19. While the vast majority of Americans support action on climate change, many of the wealthiest people and corporations in the U.S. have denied climate change exists or opposed and weakened climate protection efforts to protect their bottom lines (*see below). Similarly, many corporations, such as in the meatpacking industry, prioritized continuing their operations over the safety and well-being of their workers, causing serious and deadly outbreaks of COVID-19 among their workforce and surrounding communities. The intensifying economic and political power of corporations has also meant that our public institutions and infrastructure are managed at the behest of the wealthy, and are not equipped to protect the majority of Americans during crises like COVID-19. Amplifying this point, some have already asked if the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is prepared for a major hurricane to hit during the COVID-19 crisis – the hurricane season is underway and the Atlantic Coast is projected to be hit by up to 19 potential storms this year (https://prospect.org/environment/pandemic-still-with-us-but-hurricanes-also-loom/).
Without urgent and dramatic action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, scientists have warned that the U.S. can expect $500 billion of damage, two billion hours of lost labor and $160 billion in lost wages annually by 2090. That’s because we will see more frequent and intense storms and flooding, extended heat waves, deeper droughts and larger wildfires. Dramatic sea level rise will have a major impact on our coastal communities and essential infrastructure, too – for example, South Florida won’t exist in 2100.
It’s also important to note that scientists have long warned that climate change will cause an increase in infectious disease, such as COVID-19. Warmer temperatures, higher sea levels, more significant precipitation events, and increased contact between humans and animals due to loss of habitat help extend the geographic reach and transmission season of diseases.
Like the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate crisis affects everyone. But, it’s the most vulnerable in our society who are hurt most. Construction and other outdoor workers, especially those who don’t have a collective voice on the job, suffer from heat strokes as heat waves intensify. Low-income families with fewer resources can’t escape to safe areas when hurricanes, fires or floods hit; they also receive far less aid in recovery efforts, and this is especially problematic for undocumented immigrants who aren’t able to access aid and may be afraid to request support during extreme weather events. Frontline workers – in health care, utilities, transit and other essential services – risk their lives during extreme weather events. Low-income, communities of color bear the brunt of climate change through the polluted air they breathe. In fact, recent studies have shown that individuals from neighborhoods with elevated levels of air pollution are more likely to contract COVID-19, because their respiratory systems are already compromised.
And although the climate crisis is slower moving than COVID-19, its impacts are already widely felt. Climate change causes an estimated 150,000 deaths per year globally. The World Health Organization predicts that climate change will cause an additional 250,000 deaths per year from 2030 to 2050. Hurricane Katrina, which struck New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in 2005, dislocated 1.5 million people and caused a payroll decline of 35% in the two months following the storm. Puerto Rico sustained at least $90 billion in damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017, reducing the island’s gross domestic product by 8%. A year after the storm, 8,000 small businesses had not reopened and 40% of residents had lost their job or were earning less money. As the climate crisis expands and deepens, the economic impacts from it will also grow. And, to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, we will need to transform whole sectors of our economy from high-carbon to low and zero-carbon activities, dislocating many workers and communities.
In addition to the tragic loss of life from COVID-19, the U.S. is entering a deep depression, potentially on par with the Great Depression of the 1930s. Over 47 million people have filed for unemployment; globally, more than 80% of the workforce has been affected by a full or partial lockdown. How we respond to this growing economic crisis has incredibly significant implications for the health and well-being of many Americans and the future direction of this country. Will we act quickly and boldly to rebuild a more inclusive, equitable and climate-friendly economy and society? Or, will we accelerate our triple crises of inequality, COVID-19 and climate change, leading to greater loss of life and deteriorating social, economic and environmental conditions, particularly for people of color and immigrants?
Rebuilding to a fairer, more equitable and low-carbon economy requires acknowledging that our current political-economic system is failing us, degrading workers, communities and the climate in equal measure, fueling the triple crises we now face. The current protests across the U.S. also demonstrate that our political-economic system, based on a legacy of slavery and white supremacy, is particularly broken for Black Americans, who are threatened daily by white racist terror and suffer greatly from historic and continuing racial, economic and political inequality.
Put simply, increasing wealth and profits is prioritized over the fair economy, robust democracy, racially-just society, and healthy environment: we need to improve living and working conditions for the vast majority of Americans. This is most clearly demonstrated by the divergence of productivity and wages since the 1970s – while productivity has increased dramatically, wages have remained stagnant, as the fruits of workers’ labor have gone to corporate profits and greater wealth at the top.
Responding to the triple crises of COVID-19, climate change and inequality requires three fundamental components:
One: massive public and private investment in clean energy projects that help tackle the climate crisis and create good jobs.
Two: labor standards that ensure the creation of high-quality union jobs with good pay, benefits and collective voice on the job.
And three: an expanded social safety net that helps protect and support the most vulnerable in our society.
We must dramatically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and pollution in the next ten years to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, including catastrophic loss of life. Major investment in energy efficiency, renewable energy and public transit will put people to work during this economic crisis and create the infrastructure we need to transition to a climate-friendly and more equitable economy. Numerous studies have shown that investment in clean energy sectors as well as other climate-friendly sectors like education, health care, and family care create more jobs per million invested than investment in other sectors.
As we make these major investments, it’s imperative that we include labor rules that help ensure that new jobs are good, family and community-sustaining jobs that reverse inequality. After the 2008 crisis, too many high-wage jobs were replaced with low-wage jobs. The fastest growing jobs in the country right now are solar and wind installers. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these jobs are low-wage, low-quality jobs. Prevailing wage, Project Labor Agreements (PLAs), labor neutrality and peace to support workers having a collective voice on the job, and wage boards to set standards in new industries are all important and appropriate methods for supporting the creation of high-quality jobs.
Governor Cuomo and New York state have already shown we can tackle the dual crises of inequality and climate change simultaneously. In 2019, Governor Cuomo committed New York state to building 9 gigawatts of offshore wind power – the equivalent of approximately half of New York state’s power needs – with a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) requirement. The union-led Climate Jobs New York organization, along with environmental organizations and other allies, pushed for this solution to ensure that state investment in offshore wind power, priced lower than coal, oil and gas, would create high-quality jobs connected to a career pipeline for disadvantaged communities. Even amidst the COVID-19 crisis, a recent Empire State Poll found that 75% of New York residents support major investment in clean energy projects that create high-quality, family- and community-sustaining jobs.
Finally, a broader social safety net is essential to protecting and supporting the most vulnerable in our society. In response to COVID-19, we have expanded paid sick leave, extended unemployment benefits to “gig” workers, and some states have frozen evictions, foreclosures and student debt. These protections, along with others such as universal health and family care, including for undocumented immigrants, are key to creating a more just workplace and society.
The COVID-19 public health pandemic, the ensuing economic crisis and now a national racial justice uprising all highlight the dangerous levels of economic, racial, and political inequality that currently exist in the U.S. The climate crisis is fueled by and will exacerbate these crises, as so many young climate activists have pointed out in the last year. These intersecting crises present a moment of great peril and opportunity for the U.S. If we seize the opportunity to truly address these crises, we can build the fair, equitable and ecologically sustainable economy and society we need.
*Poll: American Voters Support Climate Action, Yale Program on Climate and Communication. September 4, 2019: https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/news-events/poll-american-voters-support-climate-action/; Tabuchi, Haroka. “Who is Influencing Key Decisions?” from A Crash Course on the Climate, 50 Years After Earth Day, New York Times, April 19, 2020: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/19/climate/climate-crash-course-4.html
CLIMATE JOBS NY STATEMENT SUPPORTING ISSUANCE OF RFP FOR $200 MILLION PORT INVESTMENT, SECOND OFFSHORE WIND SOLICITATION, AND LARGE-SCALE RENEWABLES SOLICITATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 21, 2020
CONTACT: Jeff Vockrodt, Executive Director, jvockrodt@climatejobsny.org, 917-818-3143
CLIMATE JOBS NY STATEMENT SUPPORTING ISSUANCE OF
RFP FOR $200 MILLION PORT INVESTMENT, SECOND OFFSHORE WIND SOLICITATION, AND LARGE-SCALE RENEWABLES SOLICITATION
Governor Cuomo’s announcement today that the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is issuing a Request for Proposals on New York State’s $200 million investment in port infrastructure to support offshore development, a solicitation for 2,500 megawatts of offshore wind power, and a major large-scale renewables solicitation is a crucial step forward in New York’s progress toward a clean-energy economy. We applaud Governor Cuomo’s leadership in taking on climate change, building a robust offshore wind industry in New York, and investing in an economy that works for everyone.
Investing in port infrastructure means providing necessary support for upcoming offshore wind projects and staking out New York’s role in the offshore wind supply chain, an investment that will pay off over decades. Including prevailing wage requirements and project labor agreements in the RFP and offshore wind solicitation, and requiring prevailing wage on other large-scale renewable procurement covered by today’s solicitation, will contribute to the success of these important projects and shows the Cuomo administration’s commitment to creating good jobs in New York. Today’s announcement is yet another reminder that we don’t need to choose between bold climate action and good-paying jobs.
Gary LaBarbera, President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and Climate Jobs NY Executive Committee member, said, "Governor Cuomo’s announcement today is an important step forward in bringing thousands of good jobs and billions in economic development to New York. We applaud the administration’s action on this and look forward to building New York's offshore wind industry and other sources of clean, renewable power for years to come.”
Vincent Alvarez, President of the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, and Climate Jobs NY Executive Committee member said, "Today’s action on offshore wind and large-scale renewables continues New York's leadership on renewable energy and creating good jobs of the future. We've seen what a combination of strong leadership and New York's working people can do, and together we can confront climate change to build a renewable economy and promote broad-based economic prosperity and resilient communities across the state."
John R. Durso, President of the Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, and Climate Jobs NY Executive Committee member, said, “ Moving forward quickly on clean energy industries such as offshore wind will play an essential role in fighting climate change and powering New York’s economic recovery. We commend Governor Cuomo for his bold, innovative approach to rebuilding our economy and fighting climate change. It is vital that we advocate for a clean energy economy at the scale climate science demands, create good union jobs, and support more equitable communities and a more resilient New York.”
Jeff Vockrodt, Executive Director of Climate Jobs NY, said, "This second solicitation for 2,500 megawatts of offshore wind power will go a long way toward advancing New York’s ambitious offshore wind plan, and investing in our ports is crucial to securing New York’s role in the offshore wind supply chain. We’re also thrilled to see today’s large-scale renewables announcement, with prevailing wage requirements that will contribute to the high quality and success of these projects and ensure good jobs as New York recovers from the current economic crisis. It's great to see our state taking bold action to protect our planet and move New York's economy forward.”
ABOUT CLIMATE JOBS NY
Climate Jobs NY (CJNY) is a growing coalition of labor unions—representing more than 2.6 million working New Yorkers—united to combat climate change and reverse inequality. CJNY’s mission is to advocate for a clean energy economy at the scale climate science demands, create good union jobs, and support more equitable communities and a more resilient New York. CJNY’s members include the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, the New York State AFL-CIO, the Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, the Long Island Federation of Labor, Utility Workers Union of America Local 1-2, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 3, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Third District, the United Association Plumbers and Pipefitters in New York State, 32BJ SEIU, the New York State Nurses Association, Laborers International Union Local 79, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 30, AFSCME District Council 37, the Transport Workers Union of America, and Transport Workers Union Local 100.
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Governor Cuomo Announces Largest Combined Solicitations for Renewable Energy Ever Issued in the U.S. to Combat Climate Change
“Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the largest combined clean energy solicitations ever issued in the U.S., seeking up to 4,000 megawatts of renewable capacity to combat climate change. New York's second offshore wind solicitation seeks up to 2,500 megawatts of projects, the largest in the nation's history, in addition to last year's solicitation which resulted in nearly 1,700 megawatts awarded.
The solicitation includes a multi-port strategy and requirement for offshore wind generators to partner with any of the 11 prequalified New York ports to stage, construct, manufacture key components, or coordinate operations and maintenance activities.
This solicitation has the potential to bring New York State halfway toward its goal of 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035 and meet Governor Cuomo's nation-leading climate and environment goals under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Funding for port investments will include $400 million in both public and private funding.”
Renewable Energy Growth Stymied by Pandemic, but Optimism Is High
Clean Energy Stimulus Could Help Renewable Sector Analysis conducted by the groups E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs) and E4TheFuture found that the U.S. could create 860,000 full-time jobs for at least five years and add $66 billion to the country’s economy every year for five years if targeted clean energy investments were included in the next round of federal stimulus payments. The study modeled the economic benefits of $99.2 billion of federal stimulus invested in existing programs and funding vehicles in three specific areas: renewable energy, energy efficiency, and grid modernization. The groups said they chose the three sectors for their “proven track record of quick job creation during past economic stimulus programs,” and because most of the jobs can be done outdoors or in vacant buildings. Furthermore, they said existing funding-approved programs already managed by the Department of Energy and other federal agencies could be utilized to administer such a package.
https://www.powermag.com/renewable-energy-growth-stymied-by-pandemic-but-optimism-is-high/
Newsday Letter to the Editor: Offshore wind projects offer significant economic development by creating a skilled green-economy workforce and establishing a footprint for a consequential new industry.
Color LI’s future economy green
May 29th, Newsday CJNY Letter to the Editor:
The editorial “The Road Ahead” [May 17] is spot-on. At a moment when we must make large-scale investments to restart our economy, we should take action on climate at a scale that science demands. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put ourselves on the path to a low-carbon future while creating new quality careers that provide family-sustaining wages and benefits for communities across the state. From energy efficiency upgrades to solar retrofits on schools, smart green projects can put people back to work fast, stabilize energy costs, and have a real impact on emissions.
As for Long Island’s long-term sustainability, offshore wind projects offer significant economic development by creating a skilled green-economy workforce and establishing a footprint for a consequential new industry. We can combat climate change and help meet the state’s goal of 70 percent electricity from renewable energy by 2030, all while creating good jobs with labor standards.
In this time of bold transformation, smart investments in a clean-energy future can simultaneously put people back to work, build infrastructure to address climate change, and spur economic development in our communities. The economy of the future is the green economy.
Mariah Dignan, Long Island organizer for Climate Jobs NY
New York State Announces Passage of Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act as Part of 2020-2021 Enacted State Budget
New York State public authorities and agencies announced the passage of legislation as part the FY 2020-2021 state budget to dramatically speed up the siting and construction of clean energy projects to combat climate change and help jumpstart the state’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 health crisis. The Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act (the Act) will create a first in the nation Office of Renewable Energy Siting to improve and streamline the process for environmentally responsible and cost-effective siting of large-scale renewable energy projects across New York while delivering significant benefits to local communities. The act, which will be implemented by t he New York State Department of State, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Department of Public Service, Department of Environmental Conservation, New York Power Authority and the Empire State Development Corporation, will accelerate progress towards Governor Cuomo's nation-leading clean energy and climate goals -- including the mandate to obtain 70 percent of the state's electricity from renewable sources -- as identified under the state's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
Governor Cuomo Executes the Nation's Largest Offshore Wind Agreement and Signs Historic Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, joined by former Vice President Al Gore, today executed the nation's largest offshore wind agreement and the single largest renewable energy procurement by any state in U.S. history - nearly 1,700 megawatts -with the selection of two offshore wind projects, that will create enough energy to power over 1 million homes, create more than 1,600 jobs, and result in $3.2 billion in economic activity. Governor Cuomo also signed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, or CLCPA, which adopts the most ambitious and comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation in the country. Today's announcement underscores New York's undisputed position as a global leader in climate and clean energy, and advances Governor Cuomo's nation-leading mandate of 9,000 megawatts by 2035. Additionally, today's offshore wind announcement is expected to catalyze the first generation of major United States supply chain investments by the fast-growing offshore wind sector, positioning New York to be the hub of the nation's burgeoning offshore wind industry.
Governor Cuomo Announces Green New Deal Included in 2019 Executive Budget
Nation-Leading Clean Energy and Jobs Agenda Puts New York on a Path to Carbon Neutrality
Mandates 100 Percent Clean Power by 2040 and Enacts New Climate Action Council into Law to Develop Roadmap to Make New York Carbon Neutral