Resources Available to Communities Facing Fossil Fuel Power Plant Closures, Including Disadvantaged Communities
August 03, 2021
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced $5 million for the Just Transition Site Reuse Planning Program to facilitate site reuse planning services and support for communities facing fossil fuel power plant closures. The program will provide eligible communities with resources to begin charting a sustainable and economically viable path forward through site reuse planning services from designated experts, the development of a toolkit as a resource, and enhanced assistance for disadvantaged communities. This announcement supports Governor Cuomo's nation-leading goal of a 100 percent zero-emissions electric grid by 2040 and a just transition under the under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
"This administration is empowering local governments and residents to fight climate change with resources that will help amplify their voices in the clean energy transition," Governor Cuomo said. "This program will lead to greater engagement from the community to chart a greener future that strengthens economic growth, particularly disadvantaged communities that have been disproportionally impacted by harmful emissions in the past."
Ensuring a just transition for communities as New York State grows its renewable energy future provides opportunities for communities hosting conventional energy infrastructure to proactively plan to address site reuse. Under this new program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), New York State is providing vital support to help enhance locally based engagement and help improve community transition outcomes. A Statewide Site Reuse Toolkit utilizing the information from the site planning processes will be developed as an online resource to provide tools to help other communities facing or planning for site reuse. It will include information on local, regional, state, and federal programs to assist communities with economic development, brownfield reuse, and other aspects supporting successful site redevelopment.
Doreen M. Harris, President & CEO, NYSERDA, said, "Communities across New York deserve a just transition, and we are taking a proactive approach to equip them with the support and resources needed for effective planning and reuse. Helping communities build a sustainable, economically viable, and environmentally friendly future is a priority as we move to a clean electric grid to meet our climate and clean energy goals."
Eligible communities are local governments that have a fossil fuel power plant located in their community, including those that have had a power plant close in the last five years, are facing current or future known closures, or are home to other operating fossil fuel facilities that commenced operations prior to 1990. Applicants may apply for planning services valued up to $150,000. Services awarded will be scaled based on site characteristics, and areas where plant closures impact a disadvantaged community may qualify for additional assistance valued at up to $10,000.
Planning services may include, but are not limited to, site reuse planning, environmental assessments, economic analysis, demolition and abatement assessments, and public health impact evaluation. To apply, click here. Applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis until August 5, 2024, or until funds are no longer available. If selected for the program, local governments must sign a participation agreement and appoint a project liaison to ensure community participation in planning the transition from a conventional energy facility and toward community-wide environmental and economic health. The liaison will work with NYSERDA to select and be matched with a designated site reuse planning expert from a pre-determined list of companies that were chosen through a competitive process.
For communities and plants that have already undertaken preliminary analyses, support under this program may also include next-phase steps that maximize community engagement and proper site reuse, including but not limited to a detailed infrastructure assessment, further environmental assessment, marketing and community engagement strategies, and workforce development strategies, in addition to other designated support as determined by NYSERDA and the site reuse experts.
Bergman Associates, P.C. was selected through a competitive process to help develop the statewide toolkit. The toolkit, individual site reuse plans, and community strategies under consideration will seek to reflect and align with the issues and opportunities for site reuse identified by the Just Transition Working Group, and presented to the Climate Action Council on April 12, 2021, as required by the Climate Act.
Public Service Commission Chair John B. Howard said, "Smart cessation funds are in the public interest. As we transition from older, existing generation to zero carbon generation, we will create a cleaner grid of the future that requires a comprehensive approach to ease the financial implications for impacted communities, including those that are disadvantaged, and are in the interest of all electric customers."
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "The State-led closure of coal-burning power plants and the ongoing transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy will be a boon to our economy, our environment, and the health of our communities. As we continue to prioritize the just transition to clean technologies and help develop plans for reuse that is consistent with the nation-leading CLCPA, DEC applauds this investment and looks forward to working with our partners to revitalize Environmental Justice communities to create bright futures for all."
New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, "Governor Cuomo remains committed to ensuring equality for all communities as we move forward in our journey toward a bold, climate-friendly future. In order to successfully usher in this clean energy era, supports must be in place to ensure that no community is left behind. These resources will be essential to communities as they develop environmentally-friendly economic opportunities for New Yorkers."
New York State Secretary of State Rossana Rosado said, "The path to a just and equitable clean energy economy must be paved with the type of effective community-based planning, outreach and technical assistance that NYSERDA is offering through this innovative program. The way we use and re-use the built environment will have a tremendous impact on our ability to curtail climate change. Through our Brownfield Opportunity Area program, which has a proven track record of re-purposing contaminated and underutilized industrial facilities, the Department of State looks forward to working with NYSERDA to support the Just Transition initiatives."
Empire State Development Chief Operating Officer and Executive Deputy Commissioner Kevin Younis said, "Ensuring that local governments across the state have the needed resources to plan for their own green energy future will ultimately help to grow the local economy and further Governor Cuomo's nation-leading clean energy goals, while building vibrant and sustainable communities across New York State."
Senator Kevin Parker, Chair, Senate Energy Committee said, "I applaud Governor Cuomo and NYSERDA for investing in the Just Transition Site Reuse Planning Technical Assistance Program. The investment will propel our state to reach our goal of a 100 percent zero-emissions grid by 2040, while providing resources for disadvantaged communities."
Assembly Member Michael Cusick, Chair, Assembly Energy Committee said, "This announcement highlights the importance of ensuring that our communities are adequately equipped to embrace our transition to a clean energy grid. The closure of fossil fuel plants is a necessary step in building the energy grid of the future and it is crucial that we provide resources for the communities directly impacted by these closures. This program will guide these communities through this process and assist in ensuring that our energy grid works for all New Yorkers."
Senator Todd Kaminsky, Chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, said, "The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act calls for a carbon-free electrical grid by 2040 but getting there requires exchanging our aging power plants for a green, sustainable future. This funding will help communities plan for the transformation of its power plants and make bold plans for the future."
Stephen J. Acquario, Executive Director of the New York State Association of Counties said, "As New York State moves toward a clean energy economy, it is important that we not leave behind communities that will face power plant closures and the loss of economic opportunities. A just transition will not happen by itself; it requires strategic planning and investments in creating new jobs, industries, and skills in counties across the state. We applaud the Governor and NYSERDA for launching this program to prepare New Yorkers for a clean energy future and build our climate resilience."
Ryan M. Silva, Executive Director, New York State Economic Development Council (NYSEDC), said, "Transitioning from fossil fuel energy generation to clean energy solutions provides a tremendous opportunity for innovation and economic growth at decommissioned sites throughout New York State. NYSERDA's funding to help communities study how to best adapt these facilities will help modernize economic development efforts and engage local communities on how to best use these sites moving forward. We thank NYSERDA for launching this important program and encourage NYSEDC members to work closely with NYSERDA and local municipalities to effectively and efficiently bring these facilities back on-line."
New York's transition to a clean power grid is well underway, combining a strong existing baseline of renewable facilities and a robust pipeline of new renewables already under contract. Together these efforts will power 50 percent of New York's electricity once operational. The services provided to communities under this program will also look to help communities position themselves to seek other support resources including any that may become available under the Biden Administration's newly established Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization.
New York State continues to invest in resources to ensure the impact of the closure of power plants on local communities will be mitigated to the fullest extent possible. Additional financial assistance is available for eligible jurisdictions facing power plant closures through the State's Electric Generation Facility Cessation Mitigation Program administered by Empire State Development. The program offers seven years of funding to aid in transition, and earlier this year, the state Public Service Commission adopted a stable mechanism that provides a longer-term funding source for the program should local communities continue to need that support.
Governor Cuomo's nation-leading climate agenda is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy as New York State recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Enshrined into law through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, New York is on a path to achieve its mandated goal of a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and to reach economy wide carbon neutrality. It builds on New York's unprecedented investments to ramp-up clean energy including over $21 billion in 91 large-scale renewable projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce buildings emissions, $1.8 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $1.2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. Combined, these investments are supporting more than 150,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector in 2019, a 2,100 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011 and a commitment to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035. Under Governor Cuomo's leadership, New York will build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, while ensuring that at least 35 percent with a goal of 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities, and advance progress towards the state's 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs of end-use energy savings.
Last Updated: 08/03/2021
Go here to see the original:
- QazInnovations: Kazakhstan seeks to bring volume of innovative ... - inform.kz/en - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- World Earth Day: What is green finance, and why do we need it so much? - The Economic Times - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Netarts Bay cleanup scheduled for Earth Day with SOLVE and ... - Tillamook Headlight-Herald - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Shaping humanitarian and ethical governance in Pakistan - The Express Tribune - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen on the U.S. ... - Treasury - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Investing in nature: Building local economies through conservation - McKinsey - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Lalith's economic vision for Lanka: Export or perish - The Sunday Times Sri Lanka - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy to help A.P. govt. implement energy-efficiency projects - The Hindu - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- President Biden Announces Key Appointments to Boards and ... - The White House - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- A Restraint Approach to U.S.China Relations: Reversing the Slide ... - Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Carrollton Mayor and City Council Election Preview 2023: Meet your ... - Star Local Media - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Governor Kelly Signs Bipartisan Bill to Expand Teacher Workforce in ... - Kansas Governor - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Indigenous Peoples Must Have Full Representation, Participation in ... - United Nations - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- The EPA Region 6 Announces a Total of $23 Million to ... - U.S. EPA.gov - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Kansas governor strikes funding for anti-abortion pregnancy centers ... - Kansas Reflector - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Can You Fight for Climate Justice Without Being Antiwar? - Common Dreams - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Sustainable Tourism: A World leading to the road of Environment consciousness - Nomad Lawyer - NomadLawyer - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Atlanta's Cop City and the Struggle for Climate Justice - Resilience - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Jaishankars visit to Uganda, Mozambique went almost unnoticed but it indicated Indias bold gambit in Africa - Firstpost - April 23rd, 2023 [April 23rd, 2023]
- Natural resource - Wikipedia - October 30th, 2022 [October 30th, 2022]
- Non-renewable resource - Wikipedia - October 30th, 2022 [October 30th, 2022]
- Minister Wilkinson Launches Phase 2 of the Regional Energy and Resource Tables - Canada NewsWire - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Executive Secretary participates in Russian Energy Week to advocate for decarbonization in the UNECE region ahead of COP27 - UNECE - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Renault Group: The Future Is NEUTRAL: The circular economy is stepping into a new era! - Yahoo Finance - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Economy Expected to Contract Further in 2023, as the Fed Appears Resolved to Tame Inflation - PR Newswire - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Brazils Runoff Election Will Have Enormous Effects on the Global Climate Crisis - Truthout - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Health disparities and health inequalities: applying All Our Health - GOV.UK - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Opinion: Biopolitics is the invisible hand shaping mental health - The Connecticut Mirror - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Avaaz urges Georgieva and Trudeau to lasso-in commitments from IMF to attend December's vital UN Biodiversity Talks in Montreal - GlobeNewswire - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Kochi as a global city? Why not, asks the man behind Ahmedabads mega city story | Manorama English - Onmanorama - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Hennessy and Thurgood Marshall College Fund Announce partnership with Group Black and The Bishop Gallery to make "America's Most Influential... - October 13th, 2022 [October 13th, 2022]
- Pollution Prevention Week highlights ways to reduce, reuse and recycle waste - Michigan (.gov) - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- England headed for incineration overcapacity, warns UKWIN - Resource Magazine - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- 3 years of the Principles for Responsible Banking: our vision for change United Nations Environment Finance Initiative - UNEP Finance Initiative - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Isn't It Time To Challenge The Growth Paradigm? OpEd - Eurasia Review - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Coalition of Nearly 50 Organizations Launches 'Tear the Paper Ceiling' Campaign to Raise Awareness Around the 70+ Million Workers in the U.S. Skilled... - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Remote work can actually be more productive: More Hub readers respond to the work-from-home phenomenon - The Hub - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Mendocino Public Health on record-setting Sept. heat: We can't just treat this as a once-in-15-years occurrence - The Mendocino Voice - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Carbon Ridge Secures $6 Million Investment from Leading Climate Investors and Maritime Industry Leaders - Business Wire - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Regenerative Travel Is the Next Phase of Responsible Tourism - Outside Online - Outside - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- NNPC: Between rebranding and reforms, By Tijah Bolton-Akpan - Premium Times - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Embodying the spirit of Malaysia - The Edge Markets MY - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Nonprofit executive takes on state-appointed economic development role - MiBiz: West Michigan Business News - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Noble Mineral Exploration Signs Exploration Agreement with the Constance Lake First Nation - Junior Mining Network - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- China and the Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Progressively Deepening Bilateral Partnership - The Geopolitics - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Oil money is flooding into Guyana. Who will benefit? - Reuters - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Remote-work revolution exposes need for better data, tracking tools to evaluate workforce, pay and economy - The Spokesman Review - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- We need rare earth elements for a greener future, but there's a catch - CBC.ca - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- BRNHA the steward of the living traditions of WNC: Opinion - Citizen Times - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- The Fiji Times Back in history: Future of forestry sector - Fiji Times - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Hochul announces grand opening of Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education Center - Troy Record - August 29th, 2022 [August 29th, 2022]
- Predicting the Future of Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Columbia University - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- JD.com Ranks 46th on 2022 Fortune Global 500 - Yahoo Finance - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Minister Wilkinson Releases New Report Showing the Impacts of Climate Change and Necessity of Climate Adaptation in Ontario - Canada NewsWire - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Do Armenians have a future as an independent nation? Part 4 - Armenian Weekly - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Getting the diagnostics right 2 - BusinessWorld Online - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- GrammaTech and T.E.N. Announce Call for Nominations for Product Security Executive of the Year Awards - Business Wire - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- Energy Vault and Jupiter Power Announce Agreement for Battery Energy Storage Projects in Texas and California Totaling 220 MWh - Business Wire - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- The North East LEP: Thinking bigger and planning together for the future - Bdaily - August 15th, 2022 [August 15th, 2022]
- It's not enough to buy American. You also need to sell American all around the world. - The Ripon Society - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- Bid to designate 50k acres in UP as wilderness highlights tension over public lands - MLive.com - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- A 'Living Wall' At Texas A&M Could Be The Key To Smarter Cities - Texas A&M University Today - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- Architects and designers must embrace the circular economy - Project Scotland - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- Strategic Minerals increases Tin and Tantalum production in June and Q2 2022 at its Penouta Mine - Yahoo Finance - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- Issues of the Environment: Improving recycling rates and quality of recycling materials in Washtenaw County - WEMU - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- Joe Oliver: The Liberal Cabinet Needs an Intervention - The Epoch Times - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- SDG&E and Cajon Valley Union School District Flip the Switch on Region's First Vehicle-to-Grid Project Featuring Local Electric School Buses Capable... - July 27th, 2022 [July 27th, 2022]
- Reimagining business: The greatest debt of all time - Newsroom - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Moody's affirms A1 rating of Newfoundland and Labrador, changes outlook to stable - Moody's - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- New Mexico's oil and gas revenues are breaking records and complicating budgets - New Mexico Political Report - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- FACT SHEET: White House Announces over $40 Billion in American Rescue Plan Investments in Our Workforce With More Coming - The White House - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- The Class of 2022 Is Ready to Workon Their Terms - SHRM - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Faraday Copper Announces Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Copper Creek Project in Arizona; Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources Exceed... - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Inside the Triangle's latest job opening data: What boards are showing and who's hiring - WRAL TechWire - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Reserve Bank keeps blinkers on inflation, raising OCR to 2.5% - Stuff - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- Abe's drive to bring back Japan | The Interpreter - The Interpreter - July 13th, 2022 [July 13th, 2022]
- UCF Hospitality Researchers Expertise Is Tapped for Global Sustainable Tourism Report - UCF - June 30th, 2022 [June 30th, 2022]
- Feminist Economics and the Fight for Human Rights - OHCHR - June 30th, 2022 [June 30th, 2022]
- Biden Administration announces historic coastal and climate resilience funding - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - June 30th, 2022 [June 30th, 2022]
- Why green ammonia will be the workhorse of EU's future hydrogen economy - EURACTIV - June 30th, 2022 [June 30th, 2022]