Community Leaders and Activists Deliver Nearly 13,000 Petitions to Governor Cuomo’s Long Island Office
(Hauppague, NY) Today community leaders, elected officials, and activists gathered outside Governor Cuomo’s Long Island office to deliver over 10,000 petitions demanding bold action to make New York a national leader in wind power. In just two months the Sierra Club and the New York Public Interest and Research Group (NYPIRG) gathered 12,944 petitions from across the state showing widespread support for administrative action to develop offshore wind and double the state’s current onshore wind capacity.
“This outpouring of public support for wind power demonstrates that New Yorkers are ready for Governor Cuomo to make our state a national wind power leader,” said Sierra Club Organizer David Alicea. “With the recent LIPA reforms started by Governor Cuomo, Long Island has an opportunity to chart a new energy path. Governor Cuomo can lead us into the 21st century by making a strong commitment on wind energy that will boost our economy, create jobs, and clean up our air.”
Speakers including Joe Stelling, NYPIRG Environmental Campaign Organizer , Roger Clayman, Executive Director of the Long Island Federation of Labor, Senator Phil Boyle, and Assemblyman Steve Englebright, expressed their support for wind power initiatives that would spur economic growth and create family-supporting jobs for New Yorkers.
“We support the efforts of many organizations which are working to establish an offshore wind industry in New York. By planning now for the transmission and generation of offshore wind energy, New York can be sure that this great resource will provide reliable clean energy to the public and substantial job opportunities to our skilled workforce for decades,” said Roger Clayman, Executive Director of the Long Island Federation of Labor.
“New Yorkers know that we can’t frack our way to healthier communities and burning more fossil fuels to produce energy will not solve the climate crisis,” said Joe Stelling, Environmental Campaign Organizer for NYPIRG . “The state is failing to meet its clean energy goals, but a strong commitment to boosting wind energy production in New York can get us back on track while protecting public health and our environment.”
“Wind power is a clean, effective and efficient source of energy,” said Senator Phil Boyle. “Bringing wind power to Long Island will create jobs, boost the local economy, preserve the environment, and we urge Governor Cuomo to promote this important source of power.”
“Clean and renewable solar and wind power are essential to our energy future and I encourage my colleagues and the Governor to make meaningful progress in the upcoming legislative session to expand the role of solar and wind in our renewables portfolio” stated Assemblyman Steve Englebright.
“Bringing more wind energy to New York would be a win-win for the environment and especially the local economy,” said New York League of Conservation Voters President Marcia Bystryn. “Energy demand is increasing – and rather than spend our dollars on out-of-state energy sources, New York has the opportunity to create jobs and ease grid congestion by generating clean power right on Long Island. We join our partners and New Yorkers from across the state in calling on Governor Cuomo to make a strong commitment to wind energy in 2014.”
This comes on the heels of recent letter from New York’s environmental community urging Governor Cuomo to make wind development a priority in 2014 and a new petition filed Monday with the Public Service Commission asking the state to get back on track to meet its renewable energy goals.
