Public Comments: Climate Action Sustainability Plan for Internal County Operations

Erie County is pleased to release the draft Climate Action and Sustainability Plan (CASP) for internal county operations.

Click here to download the Plan for review.


Comments can be entered here.

The CASP was a collaborative effort involving all County departments through the County’s Green Team initiative and outlines a plan to move County government operations toward a sustainable future.

Development of the CASP was funded through New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (“NYSERDA”). NYSERDA has not yet reviewed the information contained herein, and the opinions expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect those of NYSERDA or the State of New York.

The public comment period will be open through Monday, January 1, 2019.

PUBLIC HEARING: National Grid Proposal to Increase Electricity Delivery Charges by 17.5% -- Attend the Hearing and/or Submit Your Comments Online!

The NY State Public Service Commission will conduct a Public Hearing on a proposed rate hike by National Grid on August 1st in the Gallery Conference Room at the Central Library in Buffalo [Map].

Two Sessions of Public Hearings: 

• Afternoon Session: 2:00 pm Information and 3:00 pm Public Comments 

• Evening Session: 6:00 pm Information and 7:00 pm Public Comments

National Grid proposes to increase electricity delivery charges by 17.5%, which would add $8.93 to an average customer’s total bill.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

• View the comments of others: click here

• Submit your comments: click here

VIDEO: Public Hearing on the NY State Draft Energy Plan

A NYSERDA public hearing on the NY State Draft Energy Plan was held at the University of Buffalo, Center for Tomorrow, on February 25, 2014. 

Below is a video SAMPLER of the proceedings (11 min.) from Martin Gugino: 

To view the Full Length videos of the opening remarks as well as a set of 5-minute public testimonies about the Draft Energy Plan recorded by Martin Gugino, Click Here.

Read a downloadable copy of the draft NYS Energy Plan here: 2014 Draft New York State Energy Plan Release [PDF]

Submit Public Comments Online: Click Here

NY State Energy Plan: Public Hearing in Buffalo and Extended Comment Period

2014 Draft State Energy Plan Hearings 
Six public hearings will be held across New York State to receive public comment on 2014 Draft New York State Energy Plan.

Each participant from the public will be given five minutes to address the New York State Energy Planning Board.  No formal presentations will be allowed, but participants may leave written supporting documents. There is also no formal Question-and-Answer format although Board Members may ask informal questions based on the provided testimony.  The hearings will be professionally recorded and transcribed, and the proceedings will be incorporated in the official record of the Plan and posted on the State Energy Plan website.

Public hearings are scheduled in Albany, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Manhattan, Long Island and Syracuse as listed here.

Public Hearing in Buffalo

A public hearing will be held on February 25, 2014 at 10:00 am at SUNY Buffalo Center for Tomorrow on the North Campus, Flint & Service Center Roads, Buffalo, NY   [MAP]

Advocates want more hearings, longer comment period on NY energy plan

By Jon Campbell • February 14, 2014 • 12:51 pm

A collection of environmental, anti-fracking and good-government groups are asking the state’s energy research authority for more time to respond to the state’s draft energy plan.

In January, the New York State Energy Research Development Authority released a draft of its 2014 energy plan, which calls for a boost in natural gas consumption and renewable energy, but noticeably skipped any mention of hydraulic fracturing.

NYSERDA is accepting public comments on the plan through March 31, and has six public hearings on the plan scheduled across the state. But in a letter sent Thursday to the head of the authority, the advocacy groups are looking for a number of changes — including a lengthier comment session and the scheduling of hearings in the evening, not just during the daytime.

“A process that facilitates public understanding of the draft plan and provides the public meaningful influence over the final plan is paramount to achieving climate, efficiency and renewable energy goals,” the groups wrote.

 The full letter is posted here.

The original article is posted here.

Comment period on NY energy plan extended to April 30

By Jon Campbell • February 14, 2014 • 4:38 pm

A comment period on the state’s draft energy plan has been extended by a month after a series of advocates raised concerns Friday.

The New York Energy Research Development Authority updated its website Friday [see below] after the letter was made public, revealing the deadline for submitting comments has been pushed back to April 30.

The comment period had been set to close March 31.

In a letter to NYSERDA’s president and CEO earlier Friday, a coalition of environmental, anti-fracking and good-government groups called on the authority to extend the deadline. The letter also called for number of other changes to the public response period, including the scheduling of hearings in the evening. (The six scheduled public hearings are all planned for the daytime hours.)

“A process that facilitates public understanding of the draft plan and provides the public meaningful influence over the final plan is paramount to achieving climate, efficiency and renewable energy goals,” the groups wrote earlier Friday.

 The original article is posted here.

Updates at the NYSERDA website (Friday, February 14, 2014):

• 2014-02-14: Comment period extended through April 30, 2014

•  2014-01-07: 2014 Draft New York State Energy Plan Release [PDF]

Link to the NYSERDA website

Submit Public Comments Online: Click Here

Help Restore Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River

Restore Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River Submit comments and attend an upcoming public hearing

The health of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River has been significantly damaged by fifty years of poor regulation that solely benefited power generation and shipping. Wetlands have been destroyed, fish populations have dwindled, and wildlife has disappeared. We have the chance to change this, and Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River need your voice. After thousands like you demanded action, the International Joint Commission (IJC) finally proposed a new regulation plan, known as Plan 2014 (a slightly revised version of the proposed Plan Bv7). Plan 2014 is a modern plan that achieves a balance of benefits for all interests. Plan 2014 will benefit the environment and economy while improving hydroelectric power generation. This plan will make significant progress toward restoring the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario after more than half a century of environmentally damaging regulation. Plan 2014 is open for public comment, and public hearings have been scheduled. Please take a moment to take action today for a healthier Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River. What you can do: Submit an online comment in support of Plan 2014. This will take just a few minutes and will send a strong message in support of a healthy lake and river. Simply tell the IJC: You strongly support the implementation of Plan 2014. Plan 2014 is a modern plan that benefits all interests and will help to restore the ecosystem of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Attend an upcoming public hearing. The International Joint Commission is holding public hearings on Plan 2014 in July. Your voice, speaking out for the health of the River and Lake, is critical now more than ever. Hearings in New York Sunday, July 14 Tuesday, July 16 Wednesday, July 17 6:00 - 9:00 pm Cornell Cooperative Extension 4487 Lake Avenue Lockport, NY Meeting Room: 4-H Training Center 6:00 - 9:00 pm Central High School 5891 Route 21 Williamson, NY Meeting Room: Auditorium 6:00 - 9:00 pm Bonnie Castle 31 Holland Street Alexandria Bay, NY More info from the IJC on Plan 2014 Thank you for taking action. Together we make a difference! Sincerely, All of Us at CCE Citizens Campaign for the Environment 225A Main Street Farmingdale, NY 11735 516-390-7150 | Fax: 516-390-7160 6 Regional Offices in New York and Connecticut

Fracking Regulations: DEC gets Buried in Public Comments and Sued

~ Regulations elicit 200,000 comments and legal charges against DEC ~

Boxes of public comments delivered to DEC headquarters in Albany

Public Comments:
Groups opposed to shale gas drilling and fracking collected over 200,000 public comments in response to revised proposed regulations issued by the NY Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The combined effort of these citizen groups was remarkable given that the DEC restricted public comments to the busy holiday period from December 10, 2012 to January 11, 2013. The groups delivered many boxes of public comments at DEC headquarters on the last day of the comment period (click photo to enlarge).

Shown at the podium in the photo above is Sandra Steingraber, a biologist, author and founder of New Yorkers Against Fracking. She created a website, called Thirty Days of Fracking Regs, to help people compose comments on the DEC regulations and submit them. Using a clever "Advent Calendar" approach, each day, for the 30 day commenting period, she posted one regulation, which she translated into plain English and included some science relevant to that regulation. 

Public comments solicited independently by many other groups (listed below*) were also included in the over 200,000 responses. Comments from individuals, other organizations and elected officials have yet to be counted. 

- Protest: Governor Andrew Cuomo was silent on hydrofracking in his State of the State address on January 9, 2013, but anti-fracking protestors were not. Over a thousand protestors turned out to line the concourse of Albany's Empire State Plaza where lawmakers passed on their way to hear the governor's speech. The protestors expressed their views on fracking through chants and banners (see photos here).

- DEC Deadline: The DEC has a February 27th deadline to either finalize the planned hydrofracking rules or allow them to expire. State law mandates that the final environmental impact statement (the SGEIS) has to be released to the public first, at least 10 days in advance of the rules deadline. The DEC may have to signal a decision on hydraulic fracturing by February 13, 2013 if they hope to meet an end-of-the-month deadline for finalizing a set of proposed regulations, as reported here. Missing the regulatory deadline would require the state to restart the formal proceedings.

Legal Charges against the DEC:
The DEC did not hold a public hearing on the proposed regulations within 30 days of the publication date of the Notice, i.e., by January 11, 2013. It turns out that was illegal. This and other flaws are cited in a legal demand letter to the DEC and NYS Inspector General from the Community Environmental Defense Council, Inc. by David F. Slottje, Esq. and Helen H. Slottje, Esq.. The letter opens with the following statements:

This letter formally advises and notifies the Department of Environmental Conservation ("DEC") and the Office of the NYS Inspector General: (i) that the DEC has acted contrary to law and lawful procedure with respect to the matters described below; (ii) that the DEC's actions with respect to such matters were and are in excess of the DEC's jurisdiction and an abuse of the DEC's discretion; and (iii) that accordingly the DEC's actions as to such matters are invalid, null and void.

The full contents of the letter dated January 11, 2013 can be viewed here. 

Please consider donating to support the continuing efforts of the Community Environmental Defense Council.
______________________________________________________
* Groups submitting comments to the DEC included Thirty Days of Fracking Regs, Food and Water Watch, Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy, Frack Action, Artists against Fracking, CREDO, New Yorkers Against Fracking, 350, Sierra Club, Signon, Working Families Party, Center for Biological Diversity, Citizen Action, GreenPeace, Earth Justice, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, and United for Action

Public Comment Period on Hydrofracking Regulations

NY Governor Cuomo and his Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing Proposed Regulations for public review on December 12, 2012. Comments must be submitted by January 11, 2013.

Those concerned about shale-gas extraction by high-volume hydraulic fracturing in NY State need to get busy and submit comments on the proposed regs over the already busy holiday period.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the governor and the DEC!

To clarify what's going on, DEC's Proposed Regulations for High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing are separate and distinct from the SGEIS Permit Guideline Proceedings that have already reviewed by the public and received over 80,000 comments in January, 2012.  The Proposed Regulations are also separate from the ongoing Health Impact Assessment, which really should have been completed first and used to inform the Proposed Regulations.

It's a busy time of the year! January 11th will be here in a flash. What's a concerned citizen to do? Here are a couple of suggestions to help you:

1. Visit the website 30 Days of Fracking Regs. There you'll find a list of dates from December 12 to January 10, each of which is linked to a specific regulation. Click on a highlighted date, and the regulation will be revealed (in red). Below it (in green) is an explanation of the regulation along with some aspects that you might like to comment on. Scroll down to "Submit Comment on this Regulation Below!" and follow the simple instructions to enter and submit your comments. 
2. Attend a comment party! Join the good folks at WNY Drilling Defense for a "Lots of Fracking Comments" Party! Pizza will be served too. Write your comments with the help of others present at the Party on Friday, December 21, 2012 at 7 pm at the Network of Religious Communities, 1272 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo. Visit Lots of Fracking Comments Party for more information.

Whether you follow suggestion 1., suggestion 2. or both, Comment Early, and Comment Often! 

Public Comment on NY Water Withdrawal Regulations

From the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter: 
Tell NY DEC We Need More Time For Public Comment on Water Withdrawal Regulations! 

Comments on the proposed Water Withdrawal regulations are due Monday, January 22, 2012, and are intended to go into effect as early as February 15, 2012. However, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has held NO public hearings on them and does not intend to do so.

Both state law and the draft regulations mandate the issuance by the DEC of water withdrawal permits for withdrawals of 100,000 gallons per day or more, but DEC has not yet developed such permits -- they will not be available for consideration and/or comment by the public before they are issued.

The Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter is asking the public to tell DEC that we will not stand for a blatant lack of care and transparency when it comes to protecting our water!

Click here to Email DEC director Joseph Martens.

Public Meeting: West Valley Nuclear Waste

From the Coalition on West Valley Nuclear Wastes (CWVNW):

The Department of Energy (DOE) will be conducting its Quarterly West Valley Meeting on Tuesday, May 4, 6:30pm at the Ashford Office Complex, 9030 Route 219, West Valley, NY [Map].

This is an important public meeting. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, PLEASE TRY TO ATTEND as a show of support for the protection of our Great Lakes Erie and Ontario and all the people living downstream.

The Record of Decision, issued 4/15/2010, for the Environmental Impact Statement issued in December 2008, does not afford long-term protection downstream because it does not commit to a complete and full waste exhumation, as recognized and requested by the hundreds of comments, representing hundreds of thousands of affected citizens.

DOE and NYSERDA have to be challenged on this flawed decision that is not supported by valid science, nor was it supported by the impressive and vast majority and sincerity of comments submitted to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

The Cattaraugus Creek and Lake Erie and drinking water for millions of people are at high risk for thousands of generations and we owe them the right decision now.

For more information, contact Joanne Hameister, Chair, CWVNW Steering Committee.

Buffalo News Editorial: West Valley needs more

Earlier blog posts on the need for a full clean up of the radioactive waste are here.

Public Hearing: Buffalo Water Quality

Senator Antoine Thompson, as chair of the NYS Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, will be holding hearings throughout NY State on Water Quality.

The Buffalo hearing will be:

• Tuesday, September 29, 2009  from 11 am to 3 pm
• Erie County Historical Society, 25 Nottingham Terrace [ Map ]
• Buffalo, New York 14216 

Please plan on attending this hearing, which will be crucial in helping the Senator shape water quality legislation for New York State. For more details, read the Flyer here. 

SAVE THE DATE - We also want you to know that Senator Thompson will be holding hearings on Wetlands Regulation on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 11 am-3 pm, at the Buffalo Science Museum, 1020 Humboldt Parkway

Cleanup Nuclear Waste at West Valley

Coalition urges complete West Valley cleanup - 9/02/2009

A coalition urged the public Tuesday to contact state and federal officials in the next week to demand full cleanup of the state’s largest nuclear waste site at West Valley.

Surrounded by about 20 people holding mops, buckets and brooms, speakers assembled outside the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority offices in the Larkin at Exchange Building in Buffalo. They called on the agency and the federal Department of Energy to support the complete cleanup of the West Valley nuclear waste site to avoid future radioactive contamination of Lake Erie drinking water.

The coalition, which includes representatives of environmental, religious and sportsmen groups, urged the public to make their voices heard by the public comment deadline, Tuesday, September 8. “Tell them you’re concerned about the water quality of the Great Lakes and the drinking supply of fresh water for yourselves and your children,” said Bob Ciesielski of the Sierra Club.

“We are tired of waiting for New York State and the Department of Energy to make a decision to clean up the nuclear waste at West Valley,” said Diane D’Arrigo of the Nuclear Information and Resource Center.

Read the full report by Mark Sommer in The Buffalo News.

NOTE: I phoned U.S. Dept. of Energy Secretary Steven Chu's office, and they said they had received many calls about this issue. However, they also said that they are taking comments only by U.S. mail or by FAX. Their contact information is below:

U.S. Mail:

Attn: Catherine Bohan
EIS Document Manager
West Valley Demonstration Project, U.S. Department of Energy
P.O. Box 2368
Germantown, MD 20874

Toll Free Fax: 866-306-9094

NOTE: I phoned NYSERDA President Frank Murray's office ( 866-697-3732 x 3320) after hours and was able to record a message and send it to him.