The following is attributable to Rob Freudenberg, Vice President, Energy & Environment, at RPA:
For over 100 years, RPA has focused on developing and advocating for long-range plans for critical infrastructure that ensures our region remains healthy, prosperous, equitable, and sustainable into the future. We exist as an independent organization - in part - to push political leaders to make - sometimes difficult - decisions that transcend the current politics of the day, for the benefit of current and future residents.
That is why we were sorely disappointed in today’s decision by the New York State Department of Public Service to rescind the order to advance energy transmission planning to ensure that offshore wind can power the region’s greatest demand center, New York City.
While we are currently living in a temporary fog of uncertainty around offshore wind development in the near future - due to the federal government’s aggressive positioning against domestic, renewable energy - offshore wind power remains New York’s - and the region’s - best and most readily available option to meet the rising demand for power.
Governor Hochul has shown great commitment to offshore wind, saving the state’s largest project underway - Empire Wind 1 - from federal aggression. Planning for and investing in transmission projects that make our state offshore wind-ready is the best step the state can take to further demonstrate its commitment and position us well for the future.
Political cycles can change quickly. The federal Inflation Reduction Act that paved the way for federal credits on renewable energy projects was signed into law on August, 2022. Less than three years later, legislation was passed to undo those credits. The pendulum is bound to swing back once again, and our state must take every step to ensure we are ready to build and plug in projects the moment the opportunity arises. Today’s action ensures we will not be ready, and bodes poorly for New Yorkers who desire clean air, good jobs, and a future that avoids the very worst impacts of climate change.
