58 Groups Call for NY State Climate and Clean Energy Goals
By Mark Woodson, Empire State News.
As nine states, including New York, evaluate major changes to strengthen the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) program – the nation’s first cap on carbon pollution from power plants – 58 environmental, public health and clean energy organizations and businesses are calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to push for RGGI reforms that will put Northeastern states on a trajectory to cut power plant pollution by more than half through 2030. The organizations delivered a letter to the Governor this week, praising his clean energy and climate leadership and urging him to take the next step forward by advocating for an extension of RGGI cap reductions through 2030 that will require an annual five percent reduction in carbon pollution from power plants.
“Over the last year, Governor Cuomo set admirable goals to shift New York toward clean energy and help prevent the worst impacts of global warming,” said Heather Leibowitz, Director for Environment New York. “Now our governor has the opportunity to put a strong plan into action to actually achieve those goals by strengthening RGGI.”