Fossil fuel corporations and corporate utilities see the writing on the wall that fracked gas is an outdated and poisonous way to heat our homes, heat our water, and cook our food. So, they’re trying to build as much new fracked gas infrastructure as they can now (like the North Brooklyn Pipeline and the Albany Loop Pipeline). Meanwhile, the agency that is tasked with regulating them and ensuring they comply with our climate law is just not doing its job!
Even though New York banned fracking, the PSC has approved a plethora of fracked gas pipelines across the state over the years. Now, in response to a directive that they should get New York’s gas utilities “aligned with” New York’s climate mandates, they have released a plan that fails to require gas utilities to reduce gas use and emissions. This plan would allow utilities to force ratepayers to pay for new gas infrastructure for years to come, with no real pathway for an equitable transition to renewable heating in sight. We are outraged.
While the plan makes some modest improvements to business as usual and opens the door for some clean alternatives to gas, the plan also tells utilities to consider compressed natural gas (CNG) supplied by truck or train and “renewable” natural gas (from landfills, factory farms, and wastewater), which would keep dirty and dangerous fuels coursing through leaky pipelines and on highways through our communities.
The time for incrementalism is over. We need a managed, equitable, affordable transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy now!
Take a minute to submit your comment today, and please share the link with your family and friends to help us reach 5000 comments! Thank you for all your help!
|