LIPA/FPL Energy Announce Additional Support for Offshore Wind Project As Fossil Fuel Energy Costs Soar Wind Power Offers Viable Alternative Project Review Process in Early Stage Public Will Have Ample Opportunity for Review & Comment Jones Beach, NY - August 3, 2005 - The Long Island Power Authority At the event's conclusion, LIPA Chairman Richard M. Kessel and Chuck Muoio, Vice President of Development from FPL Energy announced that a number of key local elected officials and business leaders have pledged support for the effort to develop an Offshore Wind Park that will produce 140 megawatts (MW) of fossil fuel- and emission-free power for Long Island. "Our Offshore Wind project represents the best opportunity for Long Island to coalesce behind an effort that can send a message to OPEC that we are ready to make a commitment to break our dependence on oil and fossil fuels," said LIPA Chairman Richard M. Kessel. "We're pleased that a number of visionary elected and business leaders are willing to step up and support this important effort. It means they understand that our local, state and national economies are being drained of vital economic resources as we export more and more of our hard earned dollars to pay for foreign oil, and that to stanch the flow of those dollars - and to help protect our environment - we must reduce our use of fossil fuels, especially foreign oil." "FPL Energy is proud to be working with LIPA to bring clean renewable wind energy into the Long Island region, just as we have in 45 wind projects spread across 15 states," said Chuck Muoio Vice President of Development for FPL Energy. "Oil prices are hitting record highs and there does not seem to be any end in sight," said Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi. "Five, ten, fifteen years from now, it's not unreasonable to project that oil prices could be double or triple today's levels. Therefore, we must act now to harness wind power as a hedge against higher fossil fuels prices and perhaps even shortages. LIPA's Offshore Wind Project makes sense and it makes sense to do it now." "It is only through projects such as these which focus on alternative sources of energy that we will be able to break our reliance on foreign oil and our dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels," said Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy. "The wind project is much needed, and is an important and critical alternate source of energy for all of Long Island as well," said Mayor Natalie Rodgers, Mayor of Ocean Beach on Fire Island. "I think that everyone on Long Island, including Fire Island, should support this initiative wholeheartedly." "The Long Island Association strongly believes that the development of a wind farm along the South Shore will be an integral part of increasing Long Island's use on non-fossil fuels in ensuring an adequate supply of energy for our communities," said Mitchell H. Pally, LIA's Vice President of Government Affairs. "The LIA strongly supports this project and urges all concerned to make sure that implementation of the wind farm occurs as soon as possible. Long Island is known for being the best and this project will give us the opportunity to say that we have the best wind farm in the country." "Long Island's government and business leaders must be commended for their vision and leadership on clean energy," said Gordian Raacke, Executive Director of Renewable Energy Long Island (RELI), a clean energy advocacy organization and founding members of the Long Island Offshore Wind Initiative. "By choosing renewable energy technologies today, Long Islanders are doing more than just bringing clean energy to the Island: whether we install solar panels on our homes or wind turbines offshore, we are investing in our future and more importantly, our children's future." "Our marine environment, forest lands, estuaries, air and water quality have all been damaged by the emissions from burning fossil fuels. However, I believe that nature can begin to repair herself if we make the bold choice to use clean, safe renewable energy sources such as offshore wind power," said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. "Wind is currently the biggest success story in renewable energy. We would be irresponsible as stewards of the earth to ignore this important energy source." "It's time that Long Island government leaders step up to the plate and demonstrate the leadership that is necessary to bring this project home," said Chris O'Connor, VP of Government Affairs for Long Island Neighborhood Network. "The public needs to see their elected officials get out of the foxhole and lead the charge for domestic, clean renewable energy resources that are not held hostage to foreign interests." "Now is the time to take every action available to slow the impacts of global warming. Offshore wind is a big step in the right direction and can contribute quickly to a tangible reduction in global warming pollution," said Chris Miller with Greenpeace. "In addition, the avoided pollution and health impacts from coal and oil plants and the inherent risk of nuclear power make wind power the picture of social progress. From local jobs to clean energy, this project is right for America and right for Long Island. In the years to come, the people of New York will be proud of their contribution to the clean energy revolution." "The proposed Long Island Offshore Wind Park represents a major step forward in our country's energy evolution," said Bob DiBenedetto, Executive Director, HealthPlanet. "A compromise-free source of clean and renewable energy can now arise from the ashes of the controversial Shoreham plant. It's no mystery why this endeavor has wide support of citizens, community groups, environmentalists, legislators and businesses. We've turned a corner in the last 20 years and Long Island is now in a position to be a model for the millions of Americans who yearn for a clean environment and energy independence." "With the passage of the latest energy bill we have only one choice. We glance at windmills offshore or we stare at oil and gas rigs and wonder how it happened. You can't build a future if you live in the past," said Marie Pendzich, Energy Chair, LI Sierra Club Group. "Several months ago LIMBA became a proponent of the wind powered generators," said Ernest M. Fazio, Chairman of LIMBA. "The advantages of having a diversified power source is part of a strategy to have power, when other sources are constrained, or otherwise not available. The added benefit of having an electrical source that does not produce any pollution is also a consideration that was looked at by LIMBA. We also considered the esthetics of the project and came to the conclusion that the distance off shore would create a visual impact that was negligible. The ecology of a system like this is beneficial to marine life and will create mini reefs where they are stationed. Unlike fossil fueled power plants, there is no excess heat that needs to be dispersed. While these plants will never be a complete displacement of fossil fueled plants, they do fit into a matrix of supply that insures that the prospect of a total power failure is remote. With the world supply of oil being threatened we must move further and further away from scenarios that could hamstring this country. This project is an excellent first step." In addition to gathering support for the Offshore Wind Project, the special program conducted at the TR Environmental Center sought to show youngsters that our individual daily actions today can have a negative long-term impact on our collective environment. Philippe Cousteau, president of EarthEcho International, Inc, a Washington, D.C-based education foundation, presented information to the young people on the environment in general and on the role alternative energy technologies can play in reducing negative impacts on the environment. At the conclusion of the Cousteau lecture, the youngsters had the opportunity to participate in a real news conference and ask questions of today's leaders on what they are doing to protect tomorrow's environment. "This was a great way to show the inter-generation link between the public policy decisions made today and how they can impact the lives of succeeding generations," said Mr. Kessel. "Today's public policy makers have an obligation to do what we can to improve our collective environment for the future." FPL Energy is a leading wholesale generator of electricity. It is the nation's leader in wind energy, with 45 wind facilities in operation in 15 states. It is s subsidiary of FPL Group, one of the nation's largest providers of electricity-related services with annual revenues of more than $10 billion. FPL Group's principal subsidiary is Florida Power & Light, one of the nation's largest utilities, serving 4.3 million customer accounts in Florida. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.FPLEnergy.com , www.FPLGroup.com and www.FPL.com. LIPA, a non-profit municipal electric utility, owns the retail electric service on Long Island and provides electric service to more than 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties, and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. In terms of customers served, LIPA is the third largest municipal electric utility in the nation; sixth largest in terms of electricity delivered. More information about LIPA and its programs can be found at www.lipower.org. ### Contact Information: Press Release 08/03/05 5:25 PM Eastern |
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