Category: LI_MN

In a SUN DAY Campaign review of energy production and consumption data, as provided by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), it was determined that America was slowly shifting towards renewables. The domestic production and use of renewable energy hit an all-time high between January and June 2021. Energy sources such as biomass, solar and hydropower accounted for a larger percentage of all energy produced in the U.S. in the period under review.

Queens elected officials joined others to call on Gov. Kathy Hochul to review the recent decision by the Public Service Commission (PSC), which approved a raise in monthly gas bills for 1.9 million downstate National Grid customers.

In the race to prevent damage and destruction from the rising tide of climate change, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a recommendation: raise 14,000 homes along Long Island’s South Shore. The plan is one of several coming from a $6 million Nassau County Back Bays study focused on preventing flooding along the shore. Another recommendation is to flood-proof 2,500 business and industrial buildings near the water, according to Newsday.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran was joined by state officials Tuesday in announcing a number of construction initiatives designed to protect thousands of South Shore homes and businesses from storm surge and tidal flooding. The five flood prevention and resiliency projects are aimed at stemming the effects of climate change, evident in the historic and deadly flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida.

Congress Member Carolyn Maloney is calling on state officials to shut down a smokestack at a Long Island City power plant that is the biggest polluting plant in New York. Maloney joined residents of the Queensbridge Houses Saturday to renew their call for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to close down the smokestack known as Big Allis at the Ravenswood Generating Station.

As a committed environmentalist and pro-labor and business advocate, Congressman Tom Suozzi (D – Long Island, Queens) organized a conference with industry leaders from prominent wind energy companies, labor and environmental groups, and local manufacturers to create a “win, win, win” forum for Long Island’s wind supply future.

On Sept. 16, the Bureau of Ocean Management (BOEM), part of the Department of the Interior, held its first of three virtual meetings on the Sunrise Wind Scoping Project.

BOEM is taking public comment on a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Sunrise Wind Project. Individuals were invited to learn more about the proposed project, ask questions or voice their concerns.

During Climate Week, Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the opening of the $8.3 million Environmental Education and Resiliency Center at Hempstead Lake State Park in Nassau County. The 8,000-square-foot center offers hands-on learning on the topics of storm resiliency and environmental management; provides space for community outreach; and serves as an emergency coordination center during disaster response.

Long Island’s wind farms will create at least 6,800 jobs with annual salaries averaging $100,000.  That’s according to NYSERDA — New York State Energy Research and Development Authority — the state agency overseeing five offshore wind projects currently in early development. NYSERDA aims to reach 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2035 — a goal set to combat the ongoing threats of climate change.

Leaders on Long Island continue to advocate fostering the region into a “wind supply chain powerhouse.” At an industry conference on Friday at LIU Tilles Center, leaders assembled from government, wind energy companies, labor and environmental groups, and local manufacturers. The aim of the conference was to see to it that the region “emerges as the premier source of wind energy” across the nation, according to a press release about the conference.