4.6.22 - Environmental advocates ask Public Service Commission to approve two clean-energy projects
'Even though the city’s green goals are ambitious, about 85% of its electricity comes from burning fossil fuels in plants at the moment.
To change that, two multi-billion-dollar projects promise to bring solar, wind and hydropower to New York City.
“Our overall plan to reduce the City’s carbon footprint requires a significant increase in renewable power,” said Rohit Aggarwala, New York City's chief climate officer and commissioner of Environmental Protection. “We see these two projects not as the ceiling, this is not the end of our journey, but this is the critical first step.”
The first one is called Clean Path, which would bring solar and wind power from upstate through a 175-mile underground transmission line.
The second one, the Champlain Hudson Power Express (also a transmission line), would bring hydropower from Canada.
Both projects have the support of Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“Upstate almost all of their energy is clean energy. In New York City, almost all of our energy is from fossil fuels. So we need to move quickly,” said Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters.