Stop Energy Sprawl Call for Action

I have been privileged to join Stop Energy Sprawl monthly meetings for some time.  I always learn something and have been impressed with the dedication of its members. This post describes a recent distribution to its members titled “Tell New York State ‘It’s Time to Pause the CLCPA!’ and save our communities”.

I am convinced that implementation of the Climate Act net-zero mandates will do more harm than good if the future electric system relies only on wind, solar, and energy storage because of reliability and affordability risks.  I have followed the Climate Act since it was first proposed, submitted comments on the Climate Act implementation plan, and have written nearly 650 articles about New York’s net-zero transition.  The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect the position of any of my previous employers or any other organization I have been associated with, these comments are mine alone.

Overview

Stop Energy Sprawl is a “coalition of community groups, municipalities, and elected officials from localities in New York State targeted by land-wasting large-scale wind & solar projects located far from where that energy is needed.”  They have warned that Climate Act‑driven reliance on large‑scale wind and solar could require hundreds of thousands acres of New York farmland and forest for generation, storage, and associated transmission infrastructure.

Stop Energy Sprawl (has provided comments supporting the Coalition for Safe and Reliable Energy’s petition requesting a hearing on suspending or modifying the CLCPA targets.  This post describes a recent distribution to their members where they recommend submitting comments supporting the petition and announced a survey they set up to document how renewable development has harmed their communities.

Petition Recommendation

New York Public Service Law (PSL) § 66-p establishes a renewable energy program for the Climate Act.  It  provides that the Commission “may temporarily suspend or modify the obligations under such program provided that the commission, after conducting a hearing as provided in section twenty of this chapter, makes a finding that the program impedes the provision of safe and adequate electric service; the program is likely to impair existing obligations and agreements; and/or that there is a significant increase in arrears or service disconnections that the commission determines is related to the program”.  In a rare example of commonsense this safety valve was included because even the lawmakers realized that it may not be possible to transition the electric system to “zero-emissions” by relying on renewable energy.  New York State never followed up with a feasibility study proving that it could be done, never pointed to another jurisdiction that implemented such a system successfully, and has not provided clear and comprehensive cost estimates.  Conducting a hearing is a commonsense reality check and I encourage you to submit comments.

Comments were originally due on March 30 but have been delayed to May 1.  Stop Energy Sprawl recommended submitting comments on the petition.

The CLCPA targets for 2030 are based on a technology goal — not an environmental goal (and they’re making the electric grid less reliable and more expensive) !

These targets put our communities at risk by mandating poorly-performing large-scale wind and solar facilities that will overrun hundreds of thousands of acres of high-quality farmland and forest, imperil fisheries and shorelines, destroy agriculturally-based, maritime, and tourism-based economies, and severely damage community character, historic sites, and the quiet enjoyment of our homes and communities, as well as the value of those residences and communities.  

The State uses the RAPID Act to implement these wind & solar goals. New York State routinely places out-of-state and foreign developers ahead of its own citizens and stomps on communities’ Home Rule and self-determination by overriding nearly every local law the developers ask them to.

Help us fight back for your community and all our communities by submitting a comment:

1. There are two cases.  Either go to this link at the Department of Public Service website:  https://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/Comments/PublicComments.aspx?MatterCaseNo=15-E-0302  or this link https://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/Comments/PublicComments.aspx?MatterCaseNo=22-M-0149   E-0302 is a huge proceeding so going to M-0149 will be faster.
2. Enter your name, address, and email address.
3. Copy and paste the message at the end of the post into the comments field (feel free to modify or add information about projects in your town)
4. Click the “I understand…” box and the “I’m not a robot” Captcha box
5. Wait until the Captcha completes and Click  Post Comment 
6. That’s it. You’re done!

Stop Energy Sprawl also told readers to  share thismessage with others in your organization, friends, neighbors, and town and county officials.  The voices looking to defile our communities with these facilities are already loudly opposing this hearing — we need to make our voices known!

Harmful Impact Survey

In addition, the distribution asked readers to compile their stories from communities targeted by land-wasting and coast-endangering large-scale wind and solar projects located far from where that energy is needed.  They have prepared a survey that seeks to collect information about the impacts experienced by communities throughout New York State targeted be wind, solar and energy storage development.  The goal is to bring awareness to these issues and to fight back against ill-considered laws that enable these destructive policies.

New York readers who have experience with these projects are encouraged to respond to the survey “How Did Wind or Solar Harm Your Community?”  Whether it was fire, farmland desecration, habitat loss, or setting residents against one another, we want to hear about it.  Respond at https://forms.gle/DYxEpmTBFkAAp11M8

For more information, contact them at stopenergysprawl@gmail.com or check out our website, stopenergysprawl.org

Conclusion

I think we are at an inflection point relative to the Climate Act.  It appears that the Hochul Administration has caught on that the net-zero transition is unsustainable.  Unfortunately there are still many that fail to acknowledge that physics, engineering, and economics all indicate that the renewable-based electric system is impossible.  The PSL 66-P hearing will provide a venue for public debate on the capability for renewable energy to provide safe and adequate electricity.

I also think that careful documentation of the harmful impacts of renewables developments will prove that the Rapid Act is an environmental disaster scandal.  The failure of the state to establish siting standards has led to unacceptable impacts that very few people know about.  I look forward to the survey results and encourage everyone with first-hand knowledge to tell their story.

Comment Recommendation

The following are the suggested comments supporting the Coalition for Safe and Reliable Energy’s petition requesting a hearing on suspending or modifying the CLCPA targets

It’s time for a hearing.  I support the Coalition for Safe and Reliable Energy’s petition requesting that the Commission hold a hearing pursuant to Public Service Law (PSL) Section 66-p(4) to evaluate whether to temporarily suspend or modify the targets or provisions under the Renewable Energy Program established as part of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).

PSL 66-p(4) provides that the Commission “may temporarily suspend or modify the obligations under such program provided that the commission, after conducting a hearing as provided in section twenty of this chapter, makes a finding that the program impedes the provision of safe and adequate electric service; the program is likely to impair existing obligations and agreements; and/or that there is a significant increase in arrears or service disconnections that the commission determines is related to the program”.  A PSL 66-p(4) hearing is essential to evaluate whether the Renewable Energy Program, as currently implemented, is compatible with safe, adequate, and affordable electric service.

Safe and adequate service is imperiled by declining reliability margins documented by the New York Independent System Operator.  Acceptable reliability risks associated with the Renewable Energy Program have not been defined so the public has no assurance that the declining margins are safe.

Transmission deficiencies threaten reliable delivery.  New transmission is needed to get the renewable energy collected to where it is needed.  If this transmission is not available, then the energy supply will not be adequate.

The affordability crisis demands a hearing because safe and adequate is only possible if it is affordable.  The PSL 66-p(4) hearing must define acceptable affordability metrics that can be tracked.

Multiple independent sources confirm the need for a hearing.  State agencies, the Attorney General Office, the NYISO and others have identified schedule and ambition issues associated with the Climate Act implementation that affect the Renewable Energy Program.

The Legislature included Section 66-p(4) precisely to address the situation New York now faces: implementation challenges that threaten reliability and affordability as the aggressive timelines and technology requirements of the Climate Act confront real-world constraints. The Commission has both the authority and the obligation to act.  The Commission must convene a hearing as soon as possible.