New York State Declares Ambitious Goals on Energy and Environmental Fronts

Thanks to the Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act approved in November 1996, New Yorkers have been able to work more proactively on energy and environmental issues, such as passing the nation’s first acid rain law, the Hudson River Estuary Management Act and the Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. New Yorkers are ardent advocates for protecting the environment and pursuing an environmentally friendly economy. However, because of the city’s high population density, and having to play catch up for past environmental mistakes, make it an ongoing challenge.

Seeger Weiss personal injury attorneys understand all too well New York State’s environmental health and safety challenges and have tirelessly represented and received justice for people who have been tragically exposed to toxic materials or suffered a life-threatening personal injury. Let us do the same for you.

New York’s Size Offers Environmental Advantages

When New York puts energy saving strategies and projects into action, the consequences often increase tenfold because of its dense population:

• New York City’s high rate of public transit use allowed it to save 1.8 billion gallons of oil in 2006 and $4.6 billion in gasoline costs. The reduction in oil consumption meant 11.8 metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution was kept out of the air, per U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
• New York City switched more than 11,000 traffic lights and "Don't Walk" signals in the city to new energy-efficient light-emitting diodes that use 90% less energy than conventional fixtures.
• More than 180,000 inefficient refrigerators in public housing project have been replaced with new ones that use a quarter of the power of the old ones, according to the New York City Housing Authority.
• The electricity used to power the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and 22 other federal buildings in New York City, an annual electricity demand of roughly 27 million kilowatt-hours, is now provided by wind power, reports the Gotham Gazette.

New York is one the most aggressive states in the US for addressing issues such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, green building practices, and alternate fuel vehicles. Highlighted below are two entities who are going above and beyond the call of duty:

Environmental Advocates of New York: Help protect New York State’s air, land, water and wildlife and the health of all New Yorkers. Based in Albany, they monitor state government, evaluate proposed laws, and champion policies and practices that ensure responsible stewardship of the environment. The prototype that they have established for environmental advocacy has become very well-known nationwide and has been replicated in many cases.

For nearly 40 years, they have played an active role in virtually every major environmental accomplishment in New York State, from the state’s original bottle deposit, the Environmental Protection Fund, to the low emission vehicle program.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA): Help New York State utility customers solve their energy and environmental problems while developing new, innovative products and services that can be manufactured or sold by New York State firms. Recent news clips show their success in receiving necessary financing, launching important programs, and garnering national recognition:

• April 21, 2010--NYSERDA and Cornell University honored a long-term partnership noting NYSERDA has provided Cornell with millions of dollars over the past ten years to support both energy-saving initiatives and more than 25 research projects; Cornell presented NYSERDA with its first annual Cornell University Partners in Sustainability Award.
• April 9, 2010--NYSERDA together with the Public Service Commission (PSC), has awarded $204 million of funding to eight large-scale electric generating projects to produce and deliver renewable electricity to New York State consumers.Governor David Paterson said, “The money we’ve devoted to renewable energy represents an important investment in strengthening New York’s clean energy economy, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, creating jobs, and controlling New Yorkers’ energy costs into the future. Continuing to diversify our energy mix will make New York more competitive and more business-friendly in the decades to come.”
• April 7, 2010--NYSERDA received the 2010 ENERGY STAR Leadership in Housing Award from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its work to promote energy-efficient construction and environmental protection through its New York ENERGY STAR Homes Program.
• April 7, 2010--NYSERDA will sponsor the first annual New York State Data Center Energy Efficiency Leadership Award to recognize a New York State organization that demonstrates leadership in pursuing energy efficiency in its data center.
• April 6, 2010--ICM Controls, a leader in the design and manufacturing of electronic controls, today received a High Performance Building Plaque from the NYSERDA for energy efficiency measures incorporated into its new headquarters building that will help cut its energy costs by $92,000 per year.
• March 24, 2010--Governor David A. Paterson today announced that $24 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding has been awarded to 206 energy conservation projects. These energy efficiency and renewable energy projects will help 137 municipalities throughout the State reduce energy and operating costs by $3.3 million annually and fully return the initial investment in less than nine years.
• March 18, 2010--The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded NYSERDA a 2010 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award in recognition of its continued leadership in protecting our environment through energy efficiency. NYSERDA’s accomplishments was recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 18, 2010.
• February 16, 2010–NYSERDA today announced it will award $4.6 million to help 12 businesses and university centers develop innovative clean energy products that could be manufactured in New York State to improve energy efficiency, cut costs, and reduce greenhouse gas pollution.

Securing a Brighter Energy Future for the State of New York

Agriculture: Provides energy audits and feasibility studies that will lower energy bills, increase productivity and reduce environmental impacts.

Colleges and Universities: Identifies practical, technical and financial incentives for public and private institutions to reduce their energy use.

Commerical/Industrial: Offers energy efficiency services for existing buildings, new construction, industrial facilities, and vehicle fleets.

Commercial Real Estate: Works with the industry to translate energy efficiency into higher asset value. Through a simple, reengineered process, Focus on CRE enables commercial building owners and tenants to achieve their financial and environmental objectives.

Health Care: Promotes the New Construction Program, which accelerates the implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy resources in the design, construction, and operation of hospitals.

National Fuel Customers: Includes rebates for both residential and small nonresidential customers and no-cost natural-gas energy efficiency services for low-income customers.

Municipalities: Promotes energy efficiency within municipalities from street lights to water treatment with programs and funding suited for every municipality.

Residential: Helps homeowners and renters reduce their energy costs through outreach programs and training.

Schools: Offers information, technical assistance, and financial incentives to make schools healthier and more productive learning environments for children and staff.

State Government: Aggressively addresses and coordinates issues such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, green building practices, and alternate fuel vehicles.

Water/Wastewater: Encourages New York State’s municipal water, wastewater, and solid waste facilities to adopt innovative technology that is more energy efficient, which is a huge feat considering that New York State consumes 3 billion kWh of electricity per year.

Success Stories Speak for Themselves

New Yorkers can take great pride in the achievements of NYSERDA and the New York Energy $martSM Program--helping to secure a brighter energy future for the State.

North Syracuse Central School District and NYSERDA partnered on multiple fronts one including a “Green Building” project where North Syracuse received an incentive of $184, 440 for integrating green features when renovating several schools.

Albany Molecular Research received a $400,000 incentive through NYSERDA to offset their energy-saving improvements. Results include: reduced energy costs by $116,890 per year; an annual energy savings of 1,168,895 kWh.

Erie County Court House also received an incentive of $104,378 for instituting energy-saving measures. Results included annual energy reduction of 352,413 kWh and about $38,764 in energy savings annually.

Keuka College took part by installing demand control ventilation sensors (DCV) in three buildings which saved 865,000 kWh and translating to $15,000 annually.

Member of Local 236 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) received $148,000 from NYSERDA to install a 30 kilowatt solar electric or photovoltaic (PV) system for their training center in Latham. CO2 emissions were reduced by 41,900 pounds annually.