ALBANY, New York, June 19, 2008 (ENS) – New York Governor David Paterson today announced an agreement with the Legislature on energy legislation that will authorize increased development of renewable energy with a process called net metering.

Net metering allows electricity customers with qualified renewable energy systems to sell excess electricity back to their local utility.

The bill will expand the state’s net metering law and lead to greater investment by homeowners, farms and businesses in facilities that generate energy from renewable sources.

By increasing market demand for renewable technologies, the bill also will attract renewable energy manufacturers and installers to New York state, Paterson said.

“I want to thank the Legislature for making this enhanced energy law a reality. In addition to changing the state’s dependency on traditional, fossil-fuel based energy sources this law will be a job creation vehicle, particularly in Upstate New York,” said the governor.

“For instance, those businesses with large roof areas present enormous opportunities for hosting solar energy facilities. If those kinds of resources are fully realized, it could relieve significant stress from our already over-burdened utility grid and improve our energy independence.”

Solar panels on the Wild Center-National
History Museum of the Adirondacks
in Tupper Lake, New York. (Photo
Kathy Rose courtesy NREL)

Governor Paterson campaigned on a promise of an enhanced emphasis on alternative fuel sources in 2006. More recently he called for an expanded and enhanced net metering law in February of this year as one of 16 recommendations from the Renewable Energy Task Force he chaired when he was Lt. Governor Paterson before he was vaulted into the governorship by the resignation of former Governor Eliot Spitzer.

The legislation agreed today will expand net metering in three areas of renewable energy – solar, wind and farm waste.

The bill will expand the state’s solar net metering program to apply to businesses, and increase the size of eligible solar photovoltaic systems to 25 kilowatts for residential customers and up to two megawatts or the customer’s peak load for non-residential customers.

The law also will increase the maximum amount of electricity that the utility would be required to buy back through net metering. The Long Island Power Authority will be authorized to implement non-residential solar electric net metering.

The bill will also authorize net metering for wind technology for all utility customer classes, including non-residential classes. Previously, the law authorized such systems for residential and farm operations only.

The law will allow non-residential wind electric generators to net meter up to the lesser of their peak load or two megawatts, and increase the maximum size of wind facilities for farm operations from 125 kilowatts to 500 kilowatts. Caps on net-metering enrollment in utility service territories will be increased.

The size of a farm waste electric generation system that can be net metered will increase from 400 kilowatts to 500 kilowatts.

The Renewable Energy Task Force had identified New York’s net metering law limitations as a barrier to broader use of distributed renewable energy generation.

Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno said, “Net metering can advance many sources of alternative energy in New York State, promote economic development and help us save energy. At a time where New York’s families are struggling with rising energy costs, this is an opportunity to provide much-needed relief. I’d like to thank the governor and the Assembly for partnering with us on this legislation.”

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said, “The expansion of net metering paves the way for greater independence and cost-savings for New York’s energy consumers. This legislation will encourage residents, businesses, schools and non-profits to reduce costs by producing power through non-polluting alternative sources such as solar and wind technologies.

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ALBANY, New York, May 1, 2008 (ENS) – New York’s First Lady Michelle Paige Paterson Thursday unveiled the first installation of solar panels at the Governor’s Mansion, a step toward reducing the mansion’s energy consumption and pollution.

The first solar panels were installed over the pool house, and they will produce 3.5 kilowatts of energy. This fall, the second array of solar panels will be placed on a new carport, adding an additional 46.5 kilowatts to the mansion’s power supply.

First Lady Paterson is the wife of New York’s Governor David Paterson, the former Lt. Governor who ascended to the top position on March 17 in the wake of a prostitution scandal that forced the resignation of Governor Eliot Spitzer.

The new first lady said that she will continue the “Greening the Mansion” initiative to promote healthy buildings and environmental sustainability, while cutting the home’s electrical energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent.

“If our buildings are unhealthy, it increases the chances that we will be unhealthy and that our children will be unhealthy,” said the first lady. “Inefficient buildings are the largest contributors to global warming. In fact, nearly 40 percent of greenhouse emissions come from buildings. This level of pollution contributes to poor air quality and poor health.”

Begun by former First Lady Silda Wall Spitzer, the “Greening the Mansion” initiative is an ongoing project to reduce energy usage, transition the building to clean, renewable energy resources, and develop sustainable practices in maintaining the grounds and operations.

“Greening the Mansion” is intended to demonstrate ways people can change their homes to make them environmentally friendly.

Through simple steps such as upgrading to energy-efficient light bulbs, using natural fiber doormats to reduce the need for vacuuming and toxic floor cleaners, and installing energy-saving appliances, residents can reduce pollution and their energy bills.

“The Mansion should serve as an example of the many ways that New Yorkers can make their homes and businesses into greener, healthier places,” said the first lady.

At the solar panel unveilling event on Thursday, First Lady Paterson announced the submission of a governor’s program bill that would provide an economic incentive to residential developers and homeowners to install solar panels and other green features.

The Green Residential Program Bill would give all New Yorkers the green building incentives already available to businesses. The bill would help offset the typical five percent increase in construction costs when green building features are incorporated into residences.

Tracie Hall, executive director of the New York Upstate Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, said, “The greening of the Governor’s Mansion is yet another example of progressive, sustainable initiatives throughout New York State. We commend the leadership and vision being demonstrated in this beautiful, historic residence.”

Greening the Mansion efforts include phasing in the use of non-toxic cleaning products, organic pest control, mulching lawnmowers that recycle grass clippings in place, extensive recycling, and composting.

The mansion staff has begun to use hybrid electric vehicles. Electric lawn mowers and lawn maintenance equipment that can plug into the solar carport for power will be used to reduce gasoline emissions.

Last year the mansion began purchasing New York-grown, preferably organic, produce to the greatest extent possible. The mansion also purchases from a local food co-op, and joined a local Community Supported Agriculture group, which allows consumers to buy a share in a farm and receive fresh local organic produce when it is harvested.

“Like every home, the history of the Mansion reflects the tenor of the times,” said the first lady. “Decades from now, I hope that historians will look back on our time and determine that it was a turning point, when we made crucial choices to build greener, healthier buildings to reduce our energy consumption, address global warming, and improve the health of all. I hope that “Greening the Mansion” will have played a role in this effort.”

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ALBANY, New York, March 17, 2008 (ENS) – New York State will join seven other Great Lakes states and two Canadian provinces in a formal effort to protect and improve the water resources of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin.

Legislation authorizing New York’s participation in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact was signed by former Governor Eliot Spitzer on March 4, 2008.

New York Governor David Paterson was sworn in today, replacing the former governor, who resigned in disgrace last week.

“The Great Lakes and their bays and tributaries contain approximately 18 percent of the world’s supply of freshwater, and 90 percent of the United States’ supply of fresh surface water,” said Paterson on Friday, when he was still New York Lt. Governor and governor designate.

The Compact would prohibit most new and increased diversions of water from the Basin, while preserving existing diversions, withdrawals, uses, rights and agreements.

It would establish “regional review” procedures for any new or increased consumptive uses of at least five million gallons per day in any 90 day period and implement water conservation and efficiency programs by each member state.

The Compact would provide for the creation of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Council, consisting of the governors of the eight Great Lakes states.

“Unfortunately, water levels in the Great Lakes have seen drastic declines in the last decade, and it is vitally important that we protect and conserve this essential water resource,” Paterson said. “The Great Lakes Compact demonstrates the commitment of all of the Great Lakes states to work together to achieve that goal.”

In 2001, the governors of the eight Great Lakes states – Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – and the premiers of Ontario and Quebec signed an agreement to develop and implement a new common, resource-based conservation standard for the Great Lakes Basin. After several years of negotiation, the Great Lakes Compact was developed.

In order for the Compact to take effect, each of the eight Great Lakes states must pass legislation ratifying it, and then the U.S. Congress must consent to the signed Compact. New York is now the fourth state to approve the Compact, following approvals by Minnesota, Illinois, and Indiana.

The water surface area of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River and connecting channels covers 95,000 square miles in the eight states and two Canadian provinces, and the drainage area of the Basin covers an additional 200,000 square miles.

Since only about one percent of the water in the Great Lakes is renewed or replaced by rain and tributary inflow each year, a multi-state agreement regulating various withdrawals and diversions is viewed as an important step to preserving this natural resource.

Lake Ontario as seen from Oswego,
New York (Photo by David Jude
courtesy Center for Great
Lakes and Aquatic Sciences)

State Senator George Maziarz, a Republican who represents a district bordering Lake Ontario, said, “Joining this multi-state and multi-province effort is the right thing to do for our environment, for our communities, and for our future.”

Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Robert Sweeney, a Democrat, wrote the bill authorizing New York’s entry into the Compact. “Over 40 percent of our State lies within the Great Lakes Basin and this provides us with an important environmental resource and economic driver,” he said. “The Compact is designed as proactive legislation to shelter and preserve the Great Lakes.”

New York environmentalists approve of their state’s participation in the Compact.

Derek Stack, executive director of Great Lakes United, said, “Today, New York demonstrates that the spirit of cooperation between the Great Lakes states and provinces is thriving, and reaffirms the value of protecting the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem. Now we must work hard to ensure that the Compact moves swiftly to approval in those states where years of careful negotiation has been held hostage by narrow-minded political agendas.”

Albert Caccese, executive director of Audubon New York, said, “Protecting the water of the Great Lakes is critical for the long term restoration of the Great Lakes ecosystem and for the revitalization of the upstate New York economy. The Great Lakes Compact will allow the region to maintain control of its waters as demand for fresh water continues to grow throughout the nation and worldwide.”

New York Commissioner of Environmental Conservation Pete Grannis said, “The Great Lakes are among America’s greatest natural resources and they must be protected from excessive demands. The Compact is an integral tool that will establish proper management practices and standards so that the benefits these waters provide will continue to be available for future generations.”

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NEW YORK, New York, March 6, 2008 (ENS) – A large majority of New York City residents are convinced that global warming is happening now and leaders should do more to address the threat, according to the results of the first survey of New Yorkers’ opinions about climate change.

The survey shows that, in line with their concerns about climate change, large majorities of respondents say that the Con Edison utility (82%), Governor Eliot Spitzer (75%), and Mayor Michael Bloomberg (72%) should be doing more to address global warming.

A majority (69%) say it is likely that parts of New York City will have to be abandoned due to rising sea levels over the next 50 years. More than eight million people live in the low-lying city, and it has hundreds of miles of coastline that are vulnerable to hurricane threats.

The survey, conducted by Princeton Survey Research International, is based on English and Spanish telephone interviews with a representative sample of 1,000 adults living in New York City’s five boroughs. The interviews took place from November 28 to December 16, 2007.

The survey was designed and funded by researchers at Columbia and Yale Universities, and led by the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions at Columbia.

“New Yorkers believe global warming is going to hit home hard and want their leaders to act,” said Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Project on Climate Change and co-principal investigator at the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions at Columbia University.

New Yorker worried about global
warming at the Step It Up
demonstration April 21, 2007
(Photo by Justin Shockley)

Seventy-eight percent of respondents said that global warming is occurring, and of that number, 82 percent believe that global warming is caused mainly by human activities or caused equally by humans and natural changes.

A majority of New Yorkers (60%) say they are personally worried about global warming. Further, 22 percent believe that global warming is already having dangerous impacts on the city while an additional 30 percent believe dangerous impacts are imminent within the next 10 years.

Large majorities of New Yorkers believe that global warming will cause more heat waves (85%); energy blackouts (79%); worse storms, hurricanes and tornadoes (79%); increased rates of disease (72%); and flooding of subways, tunnels and airports (70%).

“Recent vivid and memorable media coverage of climate change impacts around the world and domestically have brought global warming onto the radar screen of the residents of New York, elevating it to a risk worth worrying about,” said Elke Weber, co-director of the Center for Research on Environmental Decisions, and a professor of psychology and international business at Columbia.

Weber and his colleagues cite studies showing that regional summer temperatures are projected to increase between 3.82 and 4.95°Fahrenheit by the 2050s, and sea level in the region may rise nearly 12 inches by the 2020s and nearly 24 inches by the 2050s.

Summer heat-related mortality could increase 55 percent by the 2020s and more than double by the 2050s.

In April 2007, Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled PlaNYC 2030, a long-term strategy to reduce New York City’s greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent and manage future population growth.

Mayor Bloomberg announced last week that as part of PlaNYC the Taxi and Limousine Commission will require the 10,000 black car fleet that services corporate clients to increase fuel efficiency standards to a level currently achievable only by using hybrid technology.

This survey measured public support for several initiatives proposed by PlaNYC, including energy efficiency for buildings and congestion pricing.

“The results are noteworthy because they show New Yorkers support an aggressive climate policy agenda and are willing to pay to see it implemented,” said Steve Hammer, director of the Urban Energy Program at Columbia’s Center for Energy, Marine Transportation and Public Policy.

The survey found that large majorities of New Yorkers support making buildings around the city more energy efficient. When asked who should pay for these improvements, a majority (60%) said that for new buildings, the city should require developers to pay. For existing buildings, a majority (58%) said that the city should help to pay.

The survey also found that 66 percent of New Yorkers support a $2.50 surcharge on the average household’s monthly electric bill for a special fund to help make buildings more energy efficient and to support public education on energy use.

Interviewers found that 76 percent support a city subsidy to encourage building owners to replace old furnaces, water heaters, air conditioners, light bulbs, and insulation, even if the subsidy costs the average household $5 a month more in higher taxes.

And 66 percent support the installation of solar panels on city-owned buildings, even if the electricity generated is significantly more expensive than what city government normally pays for its electricity.

New Yorkers were divided on the Mayor’s congestion pricing plan to charge an $8 fee to all motorists entering Manhattan below 86th Street between 6 am and 6 pm. When told the city will use the revenue to improve the subway, train, and bus systems, 53 percent of the public supported the idea, while 42 percent opposed it.

New Yorkers are willing to take on some of the responsibility for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The majority of respondents said they are willing to buy compact fluorescent light bulbs (71%), spend $5 more a month for electricity produced from renewable energy sources (68%), use less air conditioning (66%), and turn down their thermostats in the winter (60%).

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ALBANY, New York, March 4, 2008 (ENS) – The Rochester Institute of Technology has been selected to host the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute, a new research and development center that will design and test green manufacturing methods and provide technical support to businesses for pollution reduction measures that will help make them more competitive.

New York Governor Eliot Spitzer announced the selection of RIT on Friday. The governor proposed $4 million for the Institute in his 2008-09 Executive Budget, building on the $2 million he and the Legislature included in last year’s budget to launch the Institute.

“By creating the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute, we are seizing an opportunity to help businesses become greener while improving productivity and reducing environmental damage,” said Governor Spitzer. “There is tremendous job creation potential that can come from new innovations from the research efforts of the Institute and its partners.”

Rochester Institute of Technology
(Photo credit unknown)

RIT’s primary mission will be to promote cost effective pollution prevention techniques so that large and small business can reduce energy costs, hazardous substances, and wastes.

The Institute will work collaboratively with businesses, provide professional education and training and create a pipeline of technical advancements.

The Institute will assist industry in reducing its environmental impact by decreasing the use of toxic chemicals, cutting waste generation, reducing exposure risks to workers, and promoting more efficient use of raw materials and energy.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation evaluated proposals from universities across the state to host the Institute. A technical review committee unanimously selected RIT, noting that its proposal was bolstered by solid agreements with other New York universities and regional technology centers to build a research-sharing network.

“We are delighted that RIT has been selected to host this significant research and development center that will benefit all New Yorkers,” said RIT President Bill Destler. “It will not only leverage the extensive expertise that RIT has accumulated in this important field, but it will enable us to collaborate with an extraordinary group of academic partners and technology organizations throughout New York state.”

A key part of RIT’s winning proposal includes the creation of 16 research and development “test beds,” or technological laboratories, across the state, through partnerships with Clarkson University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, RPI, and the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Capabilities of these test beds include environmental engineering of nanotechnology materials and printing applications at RIT, green processing and biofuels testing at Clarkson, polymer processing and testing at RPI and sustainable chemical processes at Buffalo.

RIT plans on creating a partnership with the 10 regional technology development corporations (RTDC) to help disseminate data, tools and strategy. The RTDCs recently formed a “green sustainability” working group to bolster environmental opportunities across the State.

RIT will use $20 million in leveraged funding from public and private sources to augment the Institute and technical programs. RIT also will tap into its existing programs, such as its National Center for Remanufacturing and Resource Recovery, which focuses on industrial processes. It also plans to create a community pollution prevention program to assist nonprofit groups.

Personnel at the Institute and its partner universities will focus their skills in the areas of toxics use reduction, hazardous and solid waste reduction, green chemistry, product reuse and remanufacturing, “design for the environment” projects, resource conservation, pollution prevention methods, chemical safety assessments, environmental management systems, green cleaning products, and academic course development.

A 2003 report by the New York State Assembly found that the lack of a focused research and development center and on-site technical assistance for businesses was a major shortcoming in the state’s pollution prevention efforts.

In 2005, the federal Toxics Release Inventory revealed that New York companies reported 312 million pounds of toxic chemical waste generated and 42 million pounds released into the environment.

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ALBANY, New York, February 26, 2008 (ENS) – Increasing the renewable energy supply across New York to meet 25 percent of the state’s electricity demand by 2013 – and fully funding the Renewable Portfolio Standard to make it happen – is just one of many recommendations offered Monday by a renewable energy task force chaired by Lieutenant Governor David Paterson.

Developing new business incentives to attract renewable energy technology companies that would build industry clusters in solar, wind, biomass and other technical areas is another of the task force’s 16 recommendations in the first report since its formation in 2007. Its final report is due in December.

“With the world’s climate changing and traditional dirty energy sources causing geopolitical instability, these recommendations will put New York on a path to become part of a global solution,” said Paterson.

“Increasing the state’s supply of clean, renewable energy will stem the flow of dollars out of state to pay for imported energy and will create jobs here in New York,” said Governor Eliot Spitzer. “Our challenge is not a lack of renewable energy potential, it is finding ways to effectively develop it and create economic opportunities in our own backyard.”

Developing and supporting a green collar workforce of skilled labor to support renewable energy technology companies is another of the task force recommendations. This could be done by coordinating training programs, expanding and enhancing those programs as necessary, and making training opportunities available to residents of disadvantaged communities, companies owned by minorities and women, and other small businesses.

Taking immediate action on this task force recommendation, Paul Tonko, president and chief executive of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority said his agency would invest $4 million in green collar workforce initiatives, on top of the $2 million in this year’s Executive Budget, and would also establish a Wind Energy Research and Testing Center to develop new technologies and provide workforce training.

Tonko said, “Enhancing New York’s renewable energy resources will spur energy independence, and serve as a critical foundation for economic growth and workforce expansion. As we move forward, we must continue to embrace the intellectual capacity that our state offers, and develop and support innovative technologies and alternative sources of energy that are in sync with our environmental and economic goals.”

Up to 43,000 new jobs in New York could be created by the renewable energy production needed to meet the requirement that 25 percent of New York’s electricity come from renewable sources, the task force states in its report.

The task force also recommends increasing the generation of solar power eight-fold across New York state in the next three years to develop over 100 megawatts of solar power by 2011.

A one-megawatt electric plant running continuously at full capacity can power 778 houses each year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Because solar power is variable depending on the Sun, 100 megawatts would power fewer than 7,780 houses, but would still help supply New Yorkers’ demand for electricity.

Made up of 20 members, the Renewable Energy Task Force represents a diverse array of stakeholders in the renewable energy field – renewable energy and alternative fuel industries, environmental and agricultural communities, academia, public utilities, local and state government entities, and experts in energy policy, green building construction and economic development.

Maple Ridge Wind Farm, Lewis
County, New York. (Photo
courtesy PPM Energy)

“This first report demonstrates that with bold and effective public policy, New Yorkers need not be subject to the false choice between job creation and a clean environment. In reality, one of the biggest beneficiaries of a clean and green New York is the economy,” said task force member Kelly Bennett, vice president of Sterling Planet and chair of the New York State branch of the nonprofit Apollo Alliance.

The task force also recommends changing the law to allow and encourage New York companies to produce their own renewable energy at their own locations and deliver excess power back to the energy grid, a process known as net metering.

Task force member Roger Kelley, chief executive of the New York Power Authority, said, “New York State now has a comprehensive blueprint for expanding its use of renewable energy and alternative fuels for combating global warming, reducing dependence on foreign oil, and spurring job growth in new, clean energy industries.”

“The Power Authority’s Niagara and St. Lawrence hydroelectric projects provide a solid head start,” said Kelley. “We expect to add to this through continued investment in such clean technologies as solar power and fuel cells, along with the purchase of wind power, as New York becomes a beacon for sustainable green power.”

The task force report estimates that $1 billion in economic benefits will result over the next 20 years from the roughly $500 million that New York has so far committed in renewable energy funding through the Renewable Portfolio Standard – a 100 percent return on investment not counting economic spillover, multiplier effects, and environmental quality-of-life gains from renewable energy production.

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ALBANY, New York, February 15, 2008 (ENS) – New York state officials are going to try to safeguard residents against the devastating flooding that has occurred in the state over the last three years, threatening residents’ safety and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. State and local officials will strategize at a flood summit on February 28 in Binghamton, a town that sustained a major flood in July 2006.

Over the last four years, nine flood events occurred in New York resulting in major federal disaster declarations. The cost of these events was “staggering” with nearly $500 million spent for emergency response and repairs to the public infrastructure alone, said Governor Eliot Spitzer, announcing the meeting Thursday.

Flooding at Binghamton, New York.
July 2006. (Photo by Brian Brown)

“Last year, I made a promise to convene a summit to discuss a variety of issues associated with flooding, such as watershed management, state and local response activities and ways we can better protect our citizens and property. Now is the appropriate time to begin these discussions, but the fact is that the state cannot do this alone,” the governor said.

Michael Balboni, the state’s deputy secretary for public safety, has been tapped to lead the flood summit. He will begin the process by engaging state and local officials in an active discussion and explore solutions to the problem.

Balboni said, “The flooding in June and July of 2006 affected 21 counties. It has been described as ‘the 500 year event’ in the Southern Tier, Mohawk Valley and Catskill regions. Recovery costs associated with this one flood event alone have surpassed $300 million. We need to come to grips with watershed management, response, monitoring and warning issues to better protect our communities.”

The entire Flood Summit will be webcast over the New York State Emergency Management Office website at: www.semo.state.ny.us.

The summit will begin at 8 am. on Thursday, February 28, and will run until approximately 1:15 pm. It will be held at the Binghamton Regency Hotel at 1 Sarbro Square in Binghamton.

At the summit, representatives of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, DEC, and the Upper Susquehanna Coalition will discuss watershed management topics such as stream maintenance, streambank stabilization and permitting.

Representatives from the National Weather Service and the Steuben County Office of Emergency Management will discuss river and stream monitoring systems, and alert and notification.

A third panel comprised of representatives from the DEC, the New York State Police, the Office of Fire Prevention and Control, the State Emergency Management Office, and the Broome County Office of Emergency Services will discuss search and rescue issues.

Some officials already have floated solutions to the problem. State Senator John Bonacic said, “The DEC must issue the necessary permits to undertake streamwork and the state must be more aggressive in supporting a lowering of reservoir levels. We must engage in a more active flood buyout program, and recognize the traumatic impact flooding has on the communities of the Catskills and Hudson Valley.”

Senator Thomas Libous, who represents Binghamton, said, “The floods of 2006 in the Southern Tier devastated people’s lives. Homes and businesses were destroyed. Millions of dollars were lost. But the resiliency of our community is overwhelming and has shown through the rehabilitation process. Hosting the Flood Summit here in Binghamton is a great opportunity for our community to show the entire state just how united and strong we truly are.”

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ALBANY, New York, January 28, 2008 (ENS) – Guidelines meant to facilitate wind power development across New York state while minimizing the potential impacts to birds and bats were proposed Thursday by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, DEC.

Currently, six wind farms are operating with a rated capacity of 423 megawatts from 263 turbines in Madison, Wyoming, Lewis and Erie counties.

Five other wind farms that are under construction in Clinton, Wyoming and Steuben counties will provide an additional 405 mw from 238 turbines when completed in the summer of 2008. More than 30 additional wind farm siting proposals are actively undergoing environmental review.

New York is working towards achieving a Renewable Portfolio Standard whereby the state must meet a goal of 25 percent renewable energy generation by 2013.

DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis called wind energy development “an important component of Governor Eliot Spitzer’s clean renewable energy initiative in New York.”

“As proposals for commercial wind energy ventures continue to increase across the state, these draft guidelines will provide a valuable tool for those evaluating a project, as well as for our staff charged with protecting the state’s critical bird and bat populations,” Grannis said.

As construction of wind turbines increases, there is also the increased potential for birds and bats to collide with the towers and rotating blades. The presence of spinning turbines may also induce behavioral changes in nesting or migrating birds, and in foraging bats, according to the DEC.

During the environmental review process, wind energy proposals must include assessments of the impacts the project could have on wildlife – especially birds and bats – and other natural resources. In the past, these assessments have been completed on a case-by-case basis.

The draft guidelines suggest that before expending a lot of effort to site a wind energy project, developers should determine whether or not the location is within the habitat of a bird or bat species that is listed as threatened or endangered.

Another suggested consideration is whether the location of the project is within five miles of the Atlantic coastline or the shoreline of one of the Great Lakes – areas that are frequented by birds and bats.

Maple Ridge Wind Farm in
Lewis County, New York
(Photo courtesy PPM Energy)

The proposed guidelines provide a standardized process for completing assessments, which both benefits project applicants and improves the quality of the information obtained about bird and bat populations.

The new guidelines outline DEC’s recommendations to commercial wind energy developers on how to characterize bird and bat resources at wind energy sites and how to document and estimate bird and bat mortality resulting from collisions with turbines.

The protocols in the guidelines are intended to allow comparison of data collected at different sites and in different years so that the information can be used to assess the ecological effects of wind energy generation.

Protocols for both pre-construction studies and post-construction monitoring are included in the proposed guidelines.

DEC began development of the draft guidelines after collaborating with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and other stakeholders at a New York Wind/Wildlife Technical Workshop in August 2006. Workshop participants presented information on bird and bat impacts at existing wind farms as well as various study methods and sampling technologies.

Since the workshop, DEC has met with individual wind energy developers to discuss recommendations for pre-construction studies and post-construction monitoring at specific locations. Information presented at the workshop and the shared experiences provided by the developers have been incorporated into the proposed guidelines.

To view the proposed guidelines, click here.

Public comments are welcome until March 7, 2008. Comments can be mailed to Brianna Gary at NYSDEC Bureau of Habitat, 625 Broadway, 5th Floor, Albany, NY 12233-4756 or sent via email from the website.

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ALBANY, New York, January 20, 2008 (ENS) – The state of New York’s Restore NY grant program has awarded millions to Capital Region cities to support the redevelopment of waterfront areas and decaying urban blocks.

The city of Troy will receive $2.5 million to demolish City Hall and begin work on the north waterfront area along the Hudson River that will include construction of retail and office space, apartments and condominiums, a hotel and parking facilities. It will be a start on a 20 year strategy to remediate brownfields and redevelop over 100 acres of waterfront land as a mixed use area of entertainment, historic housing, employment, and educational facilities.

Troy City Hall on the Hudson
River will come down to make
way for a more environmentally
friendly riverfront development.
(Photo courtesy RPI)

“We are thrilled that the leaders in New York State recognize the work, vision, and excitement in the city of Troy,” said Mayor Harry Tutunjian. “This funding will leverage millions of dollars in private investment and create significant developments along the Hudson River. We owe much thanks to Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno and Governor Eliot Spitzer for their commitment to this program that will undoubtedly benefit our residents and taxpayers.”

Bruno said, “The Restore NY’s Communities Initiative is a vital tool for creating additional economic development opportunities throughout New York State by turning gutted buildings into new, productive facilities. These projects will help generate optimism among residents, and help foster an environment that encourages job creation.”

The city of Rensselaer, just south of Albany, will receive $1.4 million in Restore NY funds to demolish the former Rensselaer High School to make way for construction of a large scale mixed use development along the Hudson riverfront that will include 40,000 square feet of retail space and 50 housing units.

Bruno called this grant “a good start” but said additional state funds are needed for the Rensselaer redevelopment.

Under the Restore NY program, $50 million was distributed in 2006-07; $100 million announced Tuesday for 64 projects in 2007-08; and $150 million will be made available in 2008-09.

Through its Restore NY Communities Initiative, Empire State Development funds municipally-sponsored projects for the demolition, deconstruction, rehabilitation or reconstruction of vacant or obsolete structures.

Restore NY was designed as a competitive process with specific criteria. Strong emphasis is placed on projects from economically distressed communities across the state with priority given to projects that leverage other state or federal redevelopment, remediation or planning programs such as brownfields. Round III of the program will begin in 2008.

Restore New York was designed to revitalize urban areas and stabilize neighborhoods as a means to attract residents and businesses. This announcement comes less than a week after Governor Eliot Spitzer delivered his State of the State address, where he spoke about the need to create livable communities.

“The $100 million investment in Restore NY funding demonstrates the state’s commitment to provide a catalyst for meaningful community development projects throughout New York State,” said Governor Spitzer.

“This year’s projects represent the tremendous potential in urban communities, which will spur economic activity and allow our neighborhoods to flourish,” the governor said. “Creating resonant communities will provide the foundation for New York’s Innovation Economy for generations to come.”

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ALBANY, New York, December 31, 2007 (ENS) – Four environmental groups seeking stronger cleanup standards for brownfield properties are suing the state of New York.

Their lawsuit challenges the state’s Brownfield Cleanup Program that is intended to encourage the cleanup and redevelopment of the thousands of boarded-up gas stations, decaying factories and other abandoned brownfield sites across the state.

Brownfields sites are those that cannot be developed because of toxic contamination. The contamination is typically not severe enough to warrant a more robust cleanup under the Superfund law, but poses health and environmental risks if development occurs without some remediation.

A state Supreme Court judge heard oral arguments December 21 by the public interest law firm Earthjustice challenging the state’s Brownfield Cleanup Program.

Earthjustice is representing Sierra Club, New York Public Interest Research Group, Environmental Advocates of New York and Citizens’ Environmental Coalition in the case.

“Before we give out tax credits and liability exemptions to developers, before we allow homes and daycare centers and nursing homes to be built on these sites, we must make sure they are cleaned up to a level that protects human health,” said Earthjustice attorney Keri Powell. “That’s what we’re asking for in this lawsuit.”

“Under Governor [George] Pataki’s administration, New York established unsafe, second-rate soil cleanup standards that are not protective of children and drinking water,” said Anne Rabe, board member of Citizens’ Environmental Coalition.

HealthNow, the parent company
of BlueCross BlueShield of
Western New York, is building
on a Buffalo brownfield site.
(Photo courtesy New York DEC)

After 12 years in office Governor George Pataki was replaced in January by Governor Eliot Spitzer, the former attorney general of New York.

“Surprisingly, Governor [Eliot] Spitzer and the Departments of Environmental Conservation and Health have refused to address this outstanding flaw in the brownfield program. It is time for the state to fix this problem and stop subsidizing dirty cleanups,” said Rabe.

The environmental groups contend the state Department of Environmental Conservation, DEC, adopted weaker cleanup standards for properties in polluted neighborhoods, saying that sites only had to meet “background” levels of pollution. Under this regulation, such sites would be left only as clean as the surrounding area instead of being held to stricter standards designed to protect human health.

In response to the lawsuit, the Spitzer administration conceded in November that the program’s use of polluted “background” levels to limit site cleanups is illegal.

But the groups contend that other serious flaws remain in the way legislation is being applied in New York.

In 2003, a new brownfields law was adopted by the State Legislature. The 2003 law requires that sites be cleaned to a level that protects indoor air, surface water, and fish and other aquatic resources. But the groups argue that the DEC has refused to follow this mandate.

“All we are asking is that New York State’s brownfields regulations be protective of public health and the environment, and reflect what the law requires,” said Tim Sweeney, Regulatory Watch Program director with Environmental Advocates of New York. “The Department of Environmental Conservation has forced us to take them to court over concerns that are entirely reasonable and legitimate.”

State lawmakers also asked the DEC to study the results of past cleanups to determine whether tougher cleanup standards could be achieved, especially for contaminants where there is insufficient data on health risk. The DEC has not done this.

Finally, the groups argue that the DEC “arbitrarily” excluded all properties polluted by an off-site source. This exclusion could leave countless sites ineligible, many of them in low-income communities with a legacy of toxic contamination where pollution can be coming from several sources.

“The brownfield cleanup issue is the first real test of the Spitzer administration’s commitment to protecting public health, and so far, we’ve been disappointed in their response,” said Laura Haight, senior environmental associate with the New York Public Interest Research Group.

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