GELF to Governor: Goal should be 100 percent renewables

July 2, 2015 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

Governor Andrew Cuomo's New York State energy plan is coming under more fire for not going far enough when it comes to renewables and climate change. Environmental activists claim that the Governor's call for 50 percent of the state's electricity to be met by renewables by 2030 is a step in the right reduction -- but falls far short of needed action.

NY Governor Andrew Cuomo. Credit: Diana Robinson/Wikimedia Commons

Activists like the Green Education and Legal Fund (GELF) say that the newly released plan should embrace the goal of 100 percent of all energy -- including heating, cooling, transportation -- to be provided by renewable energy and energy conservation by 2030 based on studies that have shown this is technologically possible even though significant political and economic challenges exist.

"The plan released today is an improvement over the draft, but falls short of the commitment needed to protect New Yorkers from the growing dangers of climate change. The plan falls far short of saying that the era of fossil fuels is over, and it is too little too late in promoting renewables and conservation," said Mark Dunlea, chair of the Green Education and Legal Fund.

The Green Education and Legal Fund said it was good that the state was setting timelines for 2030 rather than just 2050, but that a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 would not be enough to prevent catastrophic climate change.

GELF is concerned because "the Plan seemed more of a general promotion and outline of the state's Reforming Energy Vision proceeding rather than a comprehensive energy plan," adding that the new plan "largely ignored the role of natural gas, fossil fuels and nuclear -- though it seems the Cuomo administration continues to support these fuel sources."

GELF -- who supports a rapid shutdown of existing nuclear power plants like Indian Point and an immediate halt to any additional investments in fossil fuels including natural gas -- points out that these energy sources were promoted in the draft plan but cannot determine the reason for their absence from the final plan.

The group is calling upon state officials, including the Assembly's newly formed Climate Change Task Force, to hold public hearings on how the plan can be further strengthened and developed.

GELF's response is based on an initial review of the plan, focusing on the points highlighted by the state.

For more:
- see the plan

http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/gelf-governor-goal-should-be-100-percent-renewables/2015-07-02