Governor Cuomo and Clean Energy Advocates Celebrate Signing of Power NY Act

ALBANY, NY (08/04/2011)(readMedia)-- Today the Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY) joined Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and other clean energy supporters at a bill signing ceremony celebrating the passage of the "Power NY Act of 2011," which reinstates New York's statewide power plant siting law, known as Article X. The Power NY Act also establishes an on-bill recovery mechanism for the "Green Jobs/Green New York" program and requires the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to prepare a study analyzing ways to increase the deployment of solar power in New York.

"We applaud Governor Cuomo for signing the Power NY Act, which will have a dramatic positive impact on the state's goal of providing affordable and clean energy, improving our environment, and creating jobs and economic growth through energy policy," said Carol E. Murphy, Executive Director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York.

"The hallmark of this legislation is its comprehensive, streamlined process for siting new power plants, which at the same time provides strong environmental safeguards and a robust level of input from host communities and other stakeholders," continued Ms. Murphy. "Such an improved process will ensure that development of new clean energy projects like wind farms moves forward in a timely manner and is ultimately met with success."

New York's previous Article X law, which expired on January 1, 2003, allowed for the siting of "major" electric generating facilities, i.e., facilities sized 80 megawatts or larger, and was overseen by a multi-agency siting board that included public representatives. The Power NY Act renews the previous law and amends it to provide siting oversight for power plants in excess of 25 megawatts of energy, while also including strong protections for public participation, community impacts, and air quality effects.

"Today's ceremony sends a clear message to the clean energy industry that this state is genuinely committed to attracting investment and building its renewable energy portfolio," said Tim Daniels, Senior Vice President for Market Development at Deepwater Wind and Chair of ACE NY's Board of Directors. "We look forward to working with Governor Cuomo on continuing to bring green jobs in state and solidifying New York's role as a leader in the nation's clean energy economy."

In addition to its power plant siting provisions, the Power NY Act also encourages homeowners to reduce energy consumption by allowing them to repay loans used to make energy-efficient improvements to their homes through savings in their monthly utility bill. Furthermore, the bill's directive to NYSERDA to conduct a solar energy study will support the state's efforts to increase the use of solar energy and spur job creation in New York's growing solar industry.

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About the Alliance for Clean Energy New York

The Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY) is a broad coalition dedicated to promoting clean energy, energy efficiency, a healthy environment, and a strong economy for the Empire State, and is New York's premier advocate for the rapid adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. www.aceny.org