Governor Cuomo: Stop the Astoria NRG Power Plant

Energy company NRG wants to build a new dirty fracked gas power plant on the Astoria waterfront in Queens. The proposed 437 Megawatt plant would pollute our air and water and worsen the climate crisis.

The plant would degrade air quality in neighborhoods already ridden with toxic fossil fuel power plants and elevated levels of asthma.

We need renewable energy and good green union jobs for New York, not more reliance on fracked gas.

Take action: Tell Governor Cuomo to stop the proposed Astoria NRG fracked gas power plant and commit to renewables instead.

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Governor Cuomo: Stop the Astoria NRG Power Plant

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Dear Governor Cuomo,

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I am writing to express my opposition to NRG Energy's proposed Astoria fracked gas power plant. Astoria and the surrounding neighborhoods are already plagued by fossil fuel power plants that have caused lower air quality and higher rates of asthma. It is no coincidence that these same neighborhoods were hit hardest by the COVID 19 pandemic -- a respiratory illness.

Building a new fossil fuel power plant in Astoria would be an affront to the communities struggling to recover from coronavirus, and would also fly in the face of New York's climate goals as set forth by the Climate Leadership Communities Protection Act (CLCPA).

It is imperative that New York reject all fracked gas infrastructure proposals if we have any intention of actually achieving the emission reduction goals set forth by the CLCPA and doing our part to curb the climate crisis. Building a new plant now would contradict the state's climate law and the calls of scientists from all over the world, as well as become a stranded asset for consumers who would foot the bill in their higher utility rates.

This proposal should be subjected to careful scrutiny by New York State and undergo the Article 10 siting process. Instead, NRG seeks to circumvent New York's regulatory system by having the proposal be grandfathered into the outdated SEQRA process, which requires far less public engagement and input than the Article 10 process which is now mandatory for proposals like this. 
NRG's Astoria proposal should not qualify to be grandfathered into the former SEQRA approval process because the current proposal is very different from their original proposal from 2010 that was granted a grandfathering determination.

Furthermore, NRG's scoping statement that would determine on what grounds the state evaluate the proposal is far too narrow. It fails to evaluate how the plant would meet NYC climate law and fails to include alternatives like heat pumps, energy efficiency measures, and peak demand management. The scope should also consider the impacts of the COVID pandemic and the disproportionate impacts of air pollution on communities of color.

Given these concerns, I urge you to subject the proposal to a more thorough environmental review process through Article 10 in order to protect New Yorkers' health and climate.

Please stop the Astoria NRG fracked gas power plant and set Queens on a path to renewable alternatives instead.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]