“Lake Erie alone is the source of drinking water for more than 11 million people. … So those of you that are in suppoprt of this, I commend you and I also ask you to stand with us as we push back against this deadly and dangerous push to put industrial wind turbines in our freshwater lakes, which by the way is not done anywhere else in the world. I do not want to be the guinea pig for something that could be disastrous and have a disastrous impact on so many New Yorkers.”

Energy Policy New York

ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York State is hoping to speed up the process of evaluating sites for clean-energy projects.

Energy Policy New York

Renewable energy project developers spoke in favor of the proposed regulations and residents involved in activities against particular renewable projects in their local areas expressed concerns with the uniform rules and standards, especially the potential of those standards to diminish the opportunity for local rule relating to renewable projects.

Energy Policy New York

“There is more to be told that the state energy policy makers would rather not be known. The article makes renewable energy look far better than it is. How, can hydropower, the only reliable and true renewable resource, be included in the percentage calculations of renewable generation? Wind is less than 2% at best, solar is about the same. So 17-18% of generated renewable power was hydro and only 1-2% from solar or wind. Also, solar and wind power cost five to six times more than hydro or nuclear or hydrocarbon power.

Taxes & Subsidies Energy Policy New York

Offshore wind is the renewable-energy industry’s shiny new toy. Led by New York, seven Atlantic-coast states have now imposed mandates to expand offshore wind use over the next decade, with the Empire State last week soliciting bids for an additional 2,500 megawatts of offshore power, on top of the 1,700 megawatts procured previously.

Offshore Wind Energy Policy Massachusetts New York

The very agencies that will be consulting with the CEO of the new Office of Renewable Energy Siting on a plan for greenhouse gas emissions reduction have already pledged their “common commitment” to a single “solution”: large-scale wind and solar projects. Local governments and residents will be presenting to a judge and jury with a predetermined verdict.

Energy Policy New York

Every tree that is cut down, every property that is devalued, every bird that is killed as a result of these projects is for the benefit of his hometown. Every rural community torn apart by this controversy will suffer. The industrialization of rural areas changes the character of communities, taking away the very reason people have chosen to live, work, vacation and recreate in some of these regions — all for the benefit of New York City.

Energy Policy New York

The rural opposition has been so strong that earlier this year, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo added a provision, known as Article 23, to the state budget that effectively strips local communities of their ability to stop big renewable-energy projects from being built in their jurisdictions. ...New Englanders like the idea of wind energy they just don’t want any wind turbines in New England. So they are putting them in New York.

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Borrello said the new Article 23 policy basically says the state government has the ultimate authority on approving renewable energy projects, which silences local opposition. “It ensures those impacted by this will have no opportunity and say,” he said. “It bulldozes local zoning laws. It allows someone in Albany to OK a project without even seeing it.”

Energy Policy New York

The current process New York uses to site large renewables was last amended in 2011, and observers say it is cumbersome to navigate because it has no standard set of requirements for projects to meet. The new law calls for establishing regulations and uniform standards to address issues common to large renewables and identifying mitigation measures to address those impacts.

Energy Policy Zoning/Planning New York

Legislation approved in the 2021 state budget on Thursday included the controversial quicker, streamlined process to approve renewable energy projects, replacing Article 10. While some changes were made, decision-making is still taken from local jurisdictions.

Energy Policy New York

Cuomo intends to crush local, home-rule-based opposition. Under the guise of the state’s budgeting process, he intends to declare an “emergency” that will allow him to revamp the process for approving green-energy projects. To wit, the projects are to be fast-tracked, with no regard for local opinion. The state will also acquire needed land, build the necessary infrastructure, including transmission lines, and hand it all over to developers. ... And if a town objects? The state can — and surely will — respond with the legal equivalent of an extended middle finger. 

Energy Policy New York

Legislator Mark Odell, R-Brocton, said if Cuomo’s proposal is approved it would limit local public input into renewable energy projects, which includes wind turbine farms. He opposes the governor’s attempt to fast track renewable energy projects. “This is very inappropriate,” he said.

Energy Policy New York

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has unveiled the details of the awards for 21 large-scale solar, wind and energy storage projects across upstate New York, totaling 1,278 MW of new renewable capacity.

Energy Policy New York

Gov. Andrew Cuomo late last month amended his state-budget proposal to let him ram through approval of wind and solar “farms” over local objections. It’s a classic Cuomo power grab — outrageous both on the merits and in how he aims to pull it off.

Energy Policy New York

"It eliminates the role of local zoning laws, allows for eminent domain takings of land, guts critical environmental review, and limits a town’s taxation and assessment powers and ability to negotiate host community agreements," Simon and Dewart said in a prepared statement.

Energy Policy New York

Advocates for local governments are pushing back against a Cuomo administration plan to speed up the siting process for renewable-energy generating plants. ...supporters of local scrutiny say such projects shouldn't be forced into communities that object to them and they fear Cuomo's plan could alter the character of towns that want to have a say in the siting of proposed industrial-scale power generating stations.

Energy Policy New York

Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants 70% of the state's electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030. That's got state agencies looking at ways to speed up permitting for wind and solar projects, worrying opponents of larger developments. Permitting for big wind farms could get a lot faster under new Cuomo proposals

Energy Policy New York

But while energy and capacity market prices can go up and down, REC prices in New York are currently fixed when developers bid for projects through NYSERDA, the state agency responsible for centralized procurement of RECs. The difference with the new order is that instead of staying fixed, the indexed REC price will go up or down, depending on the direction of prices in the energy and capacity markets, to ensure there's a consistent amount of revenue for developers and projects always get what they need, Katofsky explained.

Energy Policy New York

Gov. Andrew Cuomo just can’t seem to resist slamming Upstate simply to pander to the greens. The latest pain: His drive to build vast “wind farms” off Long Island will zing upstaters’ electric bills to the tune of more than $1 billion — and that’s just for the first round of subsidies.

Energy Policy New York