LIPC Supports S.2935B (Parker) MEMORANDUM OF SUPPORT FOR THE JUST ENERGY TRANSITION ACT (S.2935B)
Memorandum of Support S2935B (Parker)
Purpose:
S2935B (Parker): Enacts the “just energy transition act”; requires a study of competitive options to facilitate the phase-out, replacement, and redevelopment of New York state’s oldest and most polluting fossil-fueled generation facilities and their sites by the year 2030.
Statement of Support:
The Long Island Progressive Coalition (LIPC) is a grassroots community-based organization founded in 1979. We fight for structural change at the local, state, and national levels to attain racial justice, build community wealth, and realize a just transition to a 100% renewable energy future. Long Island is home to some of the largest and most polluting power plants in NYS and we are committed to ensuring their equitable closure and transition to support the mandates of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
It is with this background, ideology, and vision for Long Island and NYS that the Long Island Progressive Coalition supports S.2935B (Parker). which is needed to meet the mandates of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
This legislation will empower the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Department of Public Service, and Department of Environmental Conservation to facilitate a transition from fossil fuel power generation to renewable energy and battery storage by 2030. The State has already committed to replacing and redeveloping its fossil fuel facilities. New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act further mandates an emissions-free electricity system by 2040. This bill would enable a responsible process to achieve this commitment by prioritizing a just transition that honors the priorities of frontline communities. Enabling transparent public proceedings and clear implementation guidelines ensures that we can operationalize a much-needed transition while accounting for energy democracy and system reliability.
The PEAK Coalition recently published a study with the New York Power Authority that found it feasible to individually transition NYPA peaker plants to battery storage sites by the year 2030. PEAK’s research has shown that peaker plants are some of the oldest, costliest, and most polluting sources of energy in our state. Transitioning to renewable energy and battery storage will have measurable climate, economic, and public health impacts, particularly for low-income communities and communities of color, and must be done as soon as possible. This bill builds upon the NYPA study and enables NYSERDA to conduct a sector-wide study to this effect while accounting for renewable energy and battery storage combinations that can further strengthen resource adequacy and energy reliability without relying on false solutions.
We support the goals and components of the bill listed above. Additionally, the language in this bill ensures that false solutions cannot be considered as part of the competitive options to transition fossil fuel power plants. We urge the Assembly to require that all aspects of the phase-out, replacement, and redevelopment of New York state’s oldest and most polluting fossil-fueled generation facilities and their sites are consistent and limited to the options described in the Scoping Plan issued by the Climate Action Council under section 75-0103 of the environmental conservation law and consistent with Section 66-p of the public service law.
We further encourage the Assembly to limit the eligibility of low-impact run-of-river facilities to be part of the competitive solicitation process to be located within New York State. Lastly, to aid New York in achieving the mandates of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, NYC-EJA encourages the Assembly to require the state to examine strategies to eliminate emissions from all fossil fuel generation facilities, including behind-the-meter facilities, as expeditiously as possible but no later than 2040.
For the reasons stated above, LIPC supports the Just Energy Transition Act S2935B (Parker).
Sincerely,
Lisa Tyson, Director at LIPC
Long Island Progressive Coalition
90 Pennsylvania Ave, Massapequa, NY 11758
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