EANY & National Wildlife Federation Respond to Cuomo's Veto of LNG Facility

Today, New York Governor Cuomo has vetoed a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) transfer station off Jones Beach. The proposed Port Ambrose LNG facility was inside the same area as New York Power Authority’s proposed offshore wind project. 

“The National Wildlife Federation commends New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s decision to reject a fossil fuel facility off of Long Island, which raised a whole set of important concerns by citizens across New York,” stated Curtis Fisher, Northeast Regional Executive Director, National Wildlife Federation. “Having grown up on Long Island, I am proud that the rallying cry across the state is to build on New York’s innovation economy and clean energy future. The largest untapped renewable resource is offshore wind, and today’s decision opens the door for the Governor to lead New York into the future with offshore wind that will create jobs, protect our communities, and clean our air. The sun is rising for offshore wind and setting on fossil fuels.”

“Governor Cuomo’s rejection of yet another dangerous proposal based on the dirty fuels of the past is another great step forward towards a healthier cleaner New York,” stated Peter Iwanowicz, Executive Director of Environmental Advocates of New York (EANY), NWF’s state affiliate. “Earlier this year, he rejected a proposal for dirty Canadian tar sands oil to flow through the Port of Albany and last month committed to achieve an 80-percent cut in climate pollution in just 35 years. Taken together, New York is moving to be a national climate leader where clean energy like offshore wind is built instead of natural gas infrastructure.”

 

As the federal agency in charge of offshore wind lease areas stated in its comments: “the proposal to construct a LNG Port in the same area proposed for a large wind facility could result in serious conflicts – or at the minimum, complicating factors – that may impact the overall viability of one or both projects.” In September 2011, NYPA submitted an unsolicited request for a commercial wind lease offshore of New York to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). NYPA submitted the request on behalf of itself, LIPA, and Con Edison, which together form a public-private entity known as the Long Island-New York City Offshore Wind Collaborative.

The proposed Long Island-New York City Offshore Wind Project (NYPA Offshore Wind Project) would be located in the Atlantic Ocean in a long wedge-shaped area, with its westerly most point approximately 14 nautical miles due south of Nassau County, though its exact proposed location will not be known until the completion of feasibility, environmental and wind-strength studies. As proposed, the project is designed to generate 350 megawatts of clean electricity for the Long Island and New York City region, with the ability to expand generation capacity to as much as 700 megawatts, sufficient to power almost 250,000 homes. Our organizations strongly support the NYPA lease application, with appropriate mitigation measures to protect the marine environment and wildlife. 

 

Source: Environmental Advocates of New York (EANY)