PRESS STATEMENT

January 29, 2009

environmental watchdog DEFENDS NATION'S 1ST REGIONAL CLIMATE PLAN

NYS Has Already responded to power plant claims

(ALBANY, NY)—In response to a lawsuit filed today by Indeck Energy, Environmental Advocates of New York rallied to defend the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which went into effect on January 1, 2009.

The RGGI is the 10-state plan to reduce the power plant pollution that contributes to global warming. The regional plan is a critical piece of New York State’s overall strategy to address climate change, which also includes energy conservation and generating a greater portion of the state’s energy from clean renewable sources. 

Among other claims, the lawsuit, filed today by Indeck Energy, claims that RGGI provides no opportunity for power plants that entered into long-term contracts to recover costs. 

These claims were addressed during the nearly two-year public process of finalizing RGGI regulations. The Department of Environmental Conservation created a 1.5 million ton set-aside for power plants that entered into long-term contracts to appease generators such as Indeck.

“At every step of the way for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, power plants have tried to slow down this process and this is one more example,” said David Gahl, Environmental Advocates of New York. “New York State has responded to these concerns and now it’s time to get with the program.”  

The RGGI was designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Northeast power plants. In addition to the direct cuts associated with implementing the program that begins in January 2009, auctioning emissions allowances under RGGI also provides revenue for programs that can further reduce pollution. Scientists say that without real reductions in climate change pollution, average temperatures in the Northeast could increase as much as 10 degrees by the end of the century. As a result, public health, infrastructure and coastal property, agriculture and water supply will be threatened.  

-30- 

Environmental Advocates of New York is the state’s government watchdog, holding lawmakers and agencies accountable for implementing policy that protects natural resources and safeguards public health. Environmental Advocates works alone and in coalitions, and has more than 7,000 individual and 130 organizational members. The 501(c)(3) is also the New York affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation.