The [Green] Capitol Insider - 10.19.2009

GOVERNOR RAIDS CLEAN ENERGY FUNDS TO FILL BUDGET GAP
As part of Governor Paterson’s $5 billion deficit reduction plan, the Governor proposes sweeping $90 million from the pool of auction proceeds generated by New York’s role in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and cutting the Environmental Protection Fund by $10 million. While we’ve come to expect cuts to the State’s environmental fund, the RGGI raid was a surprise. As far as we’re concerned, using RGGI monies for anything other than energy efficiency or clean energy development is a big mistake.

Environmental and energy groups called on the Governor to back off his misguided plan to send RGGI monies into the black hole that is the State’s general fund. Click here to read the groups’ statement. Doing so sets a dangerous precedent for the nation’s first-ever plan to reduce global warming.

While this one-time contribution may help balance New York State’s budget in the short run, it pales in comparison to the long-term job creation and investment benefits, as well as reductions in climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions, the monies would have achieved.

Years of research related to the development of the RGGI showed that the program’s success hinges on the wise use of revenue generated by allowance auctions. The Governor’s proposal jeopardizes the success of this critical program and serves as a bad example to other cash-strapped states.

Click here to read more in the New York Times.

And here in the Times Union.

DEC SCHEDULES PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR DRAFT DRILLING GUIDE
In late September, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released a draft guide to regulate natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale formation. The DEC opened up a 60-day public comment period on the long-awaited guide.

Environmental Advocates of New York thought this was a step in the wrong direction and said so. We called for at least 90 days for public comment and public hearings in the communities most likely to be affected by the hazards of a drilling technique called hydraulic fracturing or “fracking.”

In other parts of the country, including nearby Pennsylvania, fracking for natural gas has resulted in toxic chemical spills. And because the Marcellus Shale formation lies beneath the Southern Tier and Catskills regions, which are home to a great deal of New York’s drinking water, we’re not sure that rushing to drill is such a smart idea. The gas has been there for millions of years. What’s the rush?

We aren’t alone in our concerns, either. The New York State Senate and Assembly have both held hearings to discuss water-related issues, and fracking dangers top most advocates’ lists of concerns.

Late last week, the DEC announced four public comment sessions on the draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement governing potential natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale. The meetings will be held in Loch Sheldrake (Sullivan County) on Oct. 28, New York City on Nov. 10, and Chenango Bridge (Broome County) on Nov. 12. A fourth meeting is being planned for the Elmira-Corning area. Click here for details.

Click here to read the draft drilling guide.

Read more here.

and here, and here.

This isn’t the end of New York’s fracking story, not by a long shot. We’ll keep you posted.

IT'S THE LAW
Last Tuesday, Governor Paterson signed the Green Jobs-Green New York Act, legislation that aims to make one million New York homes and small businesses energy efficient while creating thousands of new green jobs.

Green Jobs-Green New York was passed unanimously by the Assembly back in June and made it through the State Senate’s most recent “special session” by a vote of 52 to 8. The vote was significant because 21 Republicans voted against party leadership to support the bill.

Click here to read more.

And here.
And here.

SAVE THE DATE
Join us on Tuesday, November 10^th at our annual Advocate Awards gala to celebrate our 40th anniversary. Our 2009 honorees are climate change pioneer Carter Bales, sustainable cities hero Andrew Darrell and Lieutenant Governor and mass transit advocate Richard Ravitch. Please contact Peggy Fandrich at mfandrich@eany.org or (518) 462-5526 ext. 236 if you’d like more information. Or click here to purchase tickets.

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The [Green] Capitol Insider - 10.5.2009

GREEN GROUPS CALL ON GUV & DEC TO PROTECT NY FROM DRILLING
At long last, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has released their draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for oil and gas drilling. The draft could determine how New York State regulates industrial natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing (often called “fracking”) in the Marcellus and Utica Shale formations.

In other parts of the country, fracking has poisoned wells and spilled toxic chemicals into waterways and across landscapes (read more here and here ). Figuring out how to tap our natural gas resources without poisoning our air, land and water is priority, especially when the Governor would like to double the size of our natural gas industry per the State Energy Plan. New York should learn from the experiences of other states before forging ahead.

The 800+ page draft is open for public comment for a mere 60 days. But Environmental Advocates of New York and many other groups want at least 90 days, or even better, 120 day for public comment and at least seven public hearings in the areas affected by drilling, including New York City.

Only by allowing adequate time to review and comment on the draft will the DEC have the requisite information to revise it and issue a comprehensive final Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement.

The final statement will guide the regulation of an industry that has the potential to contaminate New York’s drinking water, pollute the state’s air, and decimate sensitive ecosystems. We need the time to do this right or not do it at all. Besides, the gas has been there for millions of years, what’s another couple of months?

We’ll be back with our evaluation of the draft and how we think it can be improved.

Click here to send a message to the Governor and the DEC.

Read more here And here. And here.

IT'S OFFICIAL
Long-time mass transit advocate and state and city fiscal wizard Richard Ravitch is now officially New York’s Lieutenant Governor. On September 22^nd, in a 4-3 vote, the State’s highest court gave a green light to Governor David Paterson’s appointment of Ravitch as Lieutenant Governor.

The court’s decision ended months of speculation and drama. According to the Governor’s official press statement, Lieutenant Governor will play a leading role in the State’s economic recovery plan and budget making.

Read more here.

HERE COMES THE SENATE CLIMATE BILL
Last week, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) and John Kerry (D-Massachusetts) introduced the Senate’s answer to the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (AKA ACES or simply, the climate change bill). The Senate version is called the Clean Energy Jobs & American Power Act. It’s shorter than ACES, but missing a few pieces.

Important improvements in the legislation include steeper global warming pollution reduction targets (20 percent by 2020 rather than 17 percent, and 83 percent by 2050 instead of 80 percent). More good news: the bill maintains the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate greenhouse gases as a harmful pollutant.

We’re still reviewing the legislation page by page and will have more to share in the days and weeks ahead.

Click here to read more.

And here.

And here.

NYS SENATE HOLDS WATER HEARINGS
Last Thursday, the State Senate held public hearings on New York’s water policy. The hearings touched on several critical topics, including the potential dangers of natural gas drilling by means of hydraulic fracturing. Advocates also called attention to maintaining New York’s water quantity, as well as its quality.

Environmental Advocates’ Water & Natural Resources Program Associate Katherine Nadeau called attention to water management policy and the need for oversight of large water withdrawals. A successful permitting program must ensure that withdrawals of more than 50,000 gallons per day are included in such oversight. New York should not discriminate between end uses when deciding how to apply the program. All withdrawals should come under Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) oversight to ensure that users operate within permitted allowances, implement conservation practices, and do not adversely impact ecosystems or other users. In addition, New York should impose strict fees and penalties to ensure that permittees are compliant.

Katherine wrapped up her remarks by renewing Environmental Advocates call for sufficient staff and resources at the agency responsible for protecting New York’s water quality and quantity, the DEC.

Read more here.

SAVE THE DATE
Join us on Tuesday, November 10^th at our annual Advocate Awards gala to celebrate our 40th anniversary. Our 2009 honorees are climate change pioneer Carter Bales, sustainable cities hero Andrew Darrell and Lieutenant Governor and mass transit advocate Richard Ravitch. Please contact Peggy Fandrich at mfandrich@eany.org or (518) 462-5526 ext. 236 if you’d like more information.

ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES OF NEW YORK IS A MEMBER OF EARTH SHARE OF NEW YORK

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AT @GREENWATCHDOGNY


FIND US ON FACEBOOK

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