Update Dec. 17 2016

Will Climate, Wind, 100% Renewable Energy be in the Governor’s State of the State?
Statoil wins Right to Develop LI Offshore wind
On the Bus for LIPA Offshore Wind Rally on Dec. 20
January 9 – 350.org national Day of Action against the Trump Climate Deniers
NYC Urged to Divest Pension Funds from All Fossil Fuels, DAPL; $5 Trillion Divested Worldwide
PSC Denies Rehearing on Nuclear Bailout, Lawsuit Moves Forward
Use of Fracked Gas Increases in NYS Despite Ban

Will Climate, Wind, 100% Renewable Energy be in the Governor’s State of the State?

The Governor’s State of the State in early January is when he lays out his vision for the year, followed quickly by his proposed budget where the real decisions begin. Climate activists were disappointed last year when climate was hardly mentioned in the SOS even though early reports indicated it might be a centerpiece. Groups like NY Renews are working hard to get various climate / environmental justice projects into the budget. Activists hope that the Governor will commit to a long-term agreement to purchase offshore wind (5,000 MW by 2025, 10,000 MW by 2030), especially following the record bid by Statoil in the recent BOEM auction. GELF hopes that funding will be include for a feasibility study of how fast the state can move to 100% clean energy for all sources. Many would like to see a NYS carbon tax.

You can leave a message for the Governor at 518 474-8390. “Please make climate action a major focus of the State of the State. We need to move to 100% clean energy Now – no more fossil fuels Please fund a clean energy feasibility study and a Just Transition. Please commit to purchase 5,000 Megawatts of offshore wind by 2025. Support a state carbon tax.”

Statoil wins Right to Develop LI Offshore wind

Reaction was mixed to the news that Statoil won the $42 million bid to develop offshore wind off of Long Island. The good news is that the bidding (6 firms over 32 rounds) show how strongly the private sector feels about the future of off-shore wind. The not so good news that a major company built on oil and gas and which is a venture capital firm is in the driver seat for offshore wind. Many environmental groups had hoped that NYS (NYSERDA) would win the bidding and thus control the roll out of the project.

Norwegian energy major Statoil will pay out $42 million for provisional rights to develop wind energy off New York — by far the biggest play yet for a wind lease in U.S. waters. Statoil subsidiary Statoil Wind US LLC must pass federal agency reviews before it can open a one-year preliminary lease — and a hearing in U.S. District Court, where a Feb. 8 date has been set to hear commercial fishermen’s motion for an injunction against the lease. (WorkBoat blog)

(enviro pr) Gordian Raacke, Executive Director of Renewable Energy Long Island, said: “The strong interest in the New York offshore wind auction demonstrates that this industry is ready to make the big capital investments needed to allow Long Island and New York to harvest this clean and reliable offshore energy source.” Conor Bambrick, Air & Energy Director for Environmental Advocates of New York, said: “Even though NYSERDA did not win today’s auction, Governor Cuomo still has a big role to play to make New York an offshore wind energy leader.  The Governor needs to aggressively work with Statoil to get this project up and running as quickly as possible.”

On the Bus for LIPA Offshore Wind Rally on Dec. 20

Join the New York Offshore Wind Coalition at a rally on Tues. Dec. 20 at 10:00 AM outside of the Long Island Power Authority, which, after many delays, is poised to vote to purchase power from the South Fork wind area. This vote is the green light for the project to proceed — and, paired with a hoped for 5,000 MW commitment from the governor’s office, would jump-start our renewable energy economy.  (Note: the LIPA Board has once again put off voting on the project – though eventual support looks likely.)

Tell LIPA and Governor Cuomo that we’re ready for an offshore wind revolution! Rally starts at 10AM, 333 Earle Ovington Boulevard, Uniondale, NY. After the rally, we will pour into the LIPA board meeting to show that New Yorkers support offshore wind.  RSVP here.

January 9 – 350.org national Day of Action against the Trump Climate Deniers

350 is mobilizing nationally to oppose Trump’s appointment of climate deniers. Activities will ramp up in the new year, with a national day of action targeting Senate offices across the country on January 9. Activists are already laying the groundwork for not only lobby visits, but also sit-ins, protests, and creative actions to target key Senators who say they recognize the threat of climate change, but haven’t yet come out against Pruitt and other deniers in the cabinet.

Climate deniers are dominating Trump’s Cabinet choices starting with the nomination of Exxon CEO to be Secretary of State. (Watch Mark Dunlea play Tillerson in a 350 NYC April Fuels Day event.)

There are many protests planned around the inauguration. Including http://www.occupyinauguration.org/ and the Women’s March on Washington. And the big climate rally in DC on April 29 (and the first 100 hours and 100 days) by the People’s Climate Movement.

NYC Urged to Divest Pension Funds from All Fossil Fuels, DAPL Pipeline; $5 Trillion Divested Worldwide

Despite below freezing temperatures, over 50 New Yorkers rallied outside the quarterly New York City pension funds meeting on Dec. 15, urging decision-makers to fully divest from fossil fuels and reinvest in a sustainable economy that works for all New Yorkers. This comes just three days after reports revealed that the global fossil fuel divestment movement has doubled in the last year. “With the recent elections, the need for local governments to provide leadership on climate change is more imperative than ever,” said Mark Dunlea of 350NYC. (release) Groups also want the pension funds to immediately divest from the DAPL pipeline.

(From Bill McKibben) This week, the global Divest-Invest network announced that portfolios and endowments with assets reaching $5 trillion have committed to divest those assets from coal, gas and oil. Just last week, the American Museum of Natural History, the largest and oldest museum in the country, decided it made no sense to chronicle the natural world and also invest in its demise, slashing fossil fuel investments from its $650 million portfolio.

And the resistance to the Spectra pipeline continues. (new video)

PSC Denies Rehearing on Nuclear Bailout, Lawsuit Moves Forward

As expected, the PSC rejected out of hand the numerous petitions for rehearing of various issues in the Clean Energy Standard, including the $7.6 billion bailout tax for failing upstate nuclear plants. The one issue that the PSC agreed to deal with was to make it clearer that Exelon can collect their $7.6 billion.  (The only thing of note at PSC meetings is the incessant sniping between PSC chair Zibelman and Commissioner (Republican) Burman.) (See NY1 video with NYPIRG and AGREE.)

Clearwater is moving ahead with its lawsuit over the nuke bailout. Meanwhile EDF and NRDC have intervened to defend the subsidies in a separate lawsuit against the nuke bailout brought by energy companies over interfering with the wholesale energy market. And NJ and Illinois are now moving forward with nuclear subsidies based on NY’s action.

And National Grid will raise customers’ monthly utility bills to pay for the cost of the cleanup of Gowanus Canal. One couldn’t expect the shareholders to pay for their misdeeds.

Use of Fracked Gas Increases in NYS Despite Ban

(NPR Story) Two years ago, the state banned hydrofracking of natural gas within the state’s borders. But a group of Cornell scientists who study the effects of climate change say New Yorkers are using more natural gas than ever.