Exercising Caution with Large-Scale Solar Leases  to Protect Area Farmers and Other Large Land-Owners

Monday, April 4, 7 – 9 p.m.

Rosendale Community Center, 1055 Rt. 32, Rosendale, NY 12472 (near pool).

The NYS Public Service Commission has made the transition to Distributed Renewable Generation (DRG) the centerpiece of its Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) proceedings and Governor Cuomo has called for 50% renewable energy generation in New York by 2030.  While it is urgent and important to install renewables as the backbone to the emerging green energy economy, large landowners are being offered seemingly lucrative long-term leases (as much as $1,000 – $2,000 per acre per year), but which run the risk of stripping landowners of virtually all their property rights.  This forum, sponsored by the Ulster County Climate Smart Committee, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County, Citizens for Local Power and many others, features attorneys, assessors, and other resource people who can advise farmers and other large landowners how to protect themselves – and what alternatives are available if they chose to develop large-scale solar on their property. This event is free and open to the public.  Please pre-register at:  www.surveymonkey.com/r/solarleases   For further information:    or .

Agenda:

• Welcome:  Jen Metzger, Rosendale Councilwoman and Co-Director of Citizens for Local Power (CLP).
• Overview:  Steve Mogel, Esq., an attorney from Sullivan County with expertise in large-scale solar lease issues.
• Update on Zoning and Related Issues:  David Church, AICP, Commissioner of Planning, Orange County, and Meister Consulting
• Tax Implications:Thomas Jackson, Director of Ulster County Real Property Tax Service Agency, and Michael Dunham, Assessor, Towns of Rosendale, Marbletown and Rochester.
• Alternatives to Solar Lease Offers; Community Solar, DRG, etc.:  Susan Gillespie, President of the Board, CLP
• Q & A Panel: With all presenters, plus Dick Riseling of Sullivan Alliance for Sustainable Development.   Moderated by Ulster County Legislator Manna Jo Greene, Chairman of Ulster County Climate Smart Committee.

Sponsors:  Ulster County Climate Smart Committee, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County, Catskill Mountainkeeper, Citizens for Local Power, Hudson Valley Regional Council Sustainability Committee Energy Working Group, Orange County Planning Department, Rondout Valley Growers Association, Sullivan Alliance for Sustainable Development, Sustainable Hudson Valley, Ulster County Planning Department, Ulster County Real Property Tax Service Agency, and the Ulster County Association of Town Supervisors and Mayors.

Albany, New York – May 14

Dear Climate Justice Allies,

In Albany, on May 14, 2016, thousands of people will stand in the way of the fossil fuel industry in North America.  The New York State Capital has been a key center for fossil fuel distribution and bad decisions for our economy and our futures, against the wishes of the people of the City of Albany.

Representing a coalition from across the northeast, we will gather with frontline communities, including Ezra Prentice Homes, and others living in the oil train blast zone. This act of mass civil disobedience against oil trains will also stand against fracked gas pipelines (including NED, AIM and Constitution), and other fossil fuel projects, like the Pilgrim Pipeline. Many of us will participate in direct action, and many more will come to rally and stand in solidarity. How you participate is up to you, but please be there.

Break Free Action Schedule:

• Wednesday May 11th through Friday May 13th: Training Camp – Build action and organizing skills to take back to your community. Let us know what skills – direct action, organizing, etc. – you would like to see offered to benefit your local campaigns.

• Saturday May 14th: Mass Action to Stop “the Bomb Train”

Corporations and political leaders have failed to take action that matches the scale of the climate crisis we face. It’s time to lead the way to the end of the fossil fuel era, and we are the ones we have been waiting for. This action is part of the 350.org initiated Break Free From Fossil Fuels global week of action – May 7 through 14. Albany 2016 will be one of the few focal actions in the United States, complementing other actions across the country and  major actions on 5 other continents.

What you can do:

1. Sign up with your friends and family, or just plan to come;

2. Forward this email, or cut, paste, and send this call to action to your list or your community;

3. Encourage your organization to endorse the action – Get on the growing list of sponsors, email . Find current partner list at albany2016.org. Endorsing organizations are invited (but not required) to participate in planning and working groups to make this action a success.

4. Help host the Break Free Roadshow! We’ll be swinging through the region from Maine to New Jersey in March and April to fire people up and get some basic training under people’s belts before we gather in Albany. Contact jay@climatedisobedience.org to set up a tour stop in your area.

5. Share the event on Facebook and Like the Break Free Northeast Facebook Group

We’re already rolling with a “kayaktivism” training March 10 – join us. Stay tuned for dates of the Break Free Roadshow, details of the action camp schedule for Albany on May 11-13, unfolding plans for Hudson River Flotilla and other opportunities to network around the region and skill up for all of our fights back home.

Contact us at  for more information about how to plug in, and visit our website Albany2016.org to sign up for updates.

In Solidarity,

The Break Free Northeast Organizing Team

New Affordable Solar program doubles state incentives to further reduce costs of solar for income-eligible households

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced in November that it has increased access to solar for low- to moderate-income homeowners. The program, called Affordable Solar, supports Governor Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV), a strategy to build a clean, resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers.

Affordable Solar doubles the incentives for each solar project installed at the home of a low- to moderate-income resident. The double incentives are available for residential solar projects for households earning less than 80 percent of the area or state median income, who often lack access to sufficient up-front capital to purchase a solar installation.

Initial funding for the double incentives is expected to support between 2,500 and 4,500 new residential projects for low- to moderate-income households. Residential incentives currently range from 20 cents per watt to 60 cents per watt, depending on the area of the State. The low end will increase to 40 cents per watt under this program, and the high end to $1.20 per watt.

The start of the Affordable Solar program continues to expand renewable energy at customer sites in support of REV goals. Governor Cuomo first announced the program at Capital for a Day in Central New York. The incentives are available through the NY-Sun initiative, administered by NYSERDA.

“Affordable Solar expands solar energy to households most in need of the electricity cost reductions that solar provides and enables them to participate in Governor Cuomo’s REV strategy,” said John B. Rhodes, President and CEO, NYSERDA. “We expect to see strong interest in this program from solar installers and residents.”

Eligibility requirements for the increased incentives through Affordable Solar include household income verification and completion of an electricity energy efficiency assessment at the home. If the assessment identifies a need for more efficient lighting or hot water heating, those updates will be implemented prior to the solar installation to decrease electricity consumption.

Part of Governor Cuomo’s NY-Sun initiative, Affordable Solar is authorized to spend $13 million to achieve greater participation by low- to moderate-income customers in solar electric programs. The double incentives for low- to moderate-income homeowners will use approximately half of that funding. The other half will be used in the future to support shared solar projects for renters and others who do not have rooftops or who have rooftops that are unsuitable for solar.

Learn more about Affordable Solar online at ny-sun.ny.gov/affordablesolar.

“President Obama has officially rejected TransCanada’s application to build the KeystoneXL pipeline. This major win for our climate is the result of relentless and passionate grassroots organizing in nearly every corner of our nation.

This victory is a testament to the incredible power we have, when we stand together as a movement, to shape our country and change the course of history—which is exactly what we’ll need to do to keep securing transformative actions that can reverse the course of human-made climate change and hold corporations and politicians who continue to imperil the climate by denying science accountable. ”

-350.org

Check out the 350.org video on how this fight was won…

For immediate release: October 21, 2015

Contact: Cliff Weathers, Communications Director
Phone: 914-478-4501, ext. 239
Email: 

Organizers call on delegates to UN Paris climate talks to commit to “urgent carbon reductions.”

Who: Notable speakers are joining Friday’s climate action, “Walkway to Paris.”

What: The event presses for radical reduction in greenhouse gas emissions causing climate chaos. This requires local, state, national and international action, particularly at the United Nations Climate Conference November 30-December 11, 2015 in Paris.

Where: Walkway Over the Hudson, (Highland-Poughkeepsie, NY) with participants entering from both sides to engage in “rolling conversations.”

When: Friday, October 23rd, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Press conference at the Walkway’s middle “bump-out” from 3 p.m- 4 p.m. Speeches and performances follow.

Why: Participants urge President Obama, the U.S. delegation, and world leaders heading into the Paris climate talks, commit to urgent reductions in carbon emissions, including CO2 and methane, a powerful greenhouse gas emitted during shale gas and oil drilling, fracking, processing, transportation and use. Demands include commitments to keep 80% of known fossil fuel reserves in the ground and a just transition to 100% renewables by 2050.

Organizers: New Paltz Climate Action Coalition. Co-sponsors include Riverkeeper, Catskill Mountainkeeper, Clearwater, Coalition Against Pilgrim Pipelines, Citizens for Local Power, Protect Orange County, Protecting Our Waters, Scenic Hudson, many more.

Featured speakers and performers:

• Victorio Roland Vargas Mousaa, representing First Nations perspectives on climate. Roland performed the original opening ceremony of the Walkway with Pete Seeger. Roland, who began working with Clearwater in 1969, will open our program at 4 p.m. He will perform with his partner, Mindy Fradkin (aka Princes Wow), the last song Pete Seeger wrote with him, “Now Is The Time.”
• Jen Metzger, Councilwoman, Rosendale and Co-Director, Citizens for Local Power.
• Jeffrey Freedman, climate scientist, Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, SUNY Albany.
• Wes Gillingham, Co-Founder and Program Director, Catskill Mountainkeeper.
• Pramilla Malick, a community organizer and mother of 4 from Orange County leading fights against fracked-gas infrastructure in New York State. Pramilla represents Stop The Minisink Compressor Station and Protect Orange County.
• Ted Hall III, an educator, researcher, urban farmer, is an alumni of Harvard, Carnegie Mellon, and Bard College, where he co-initiated Sustainability commitments and curricula. Ted also organized key groups of the Occupy Movement.
• Jeremy Cherson of Riverkeeper will speak at Center Stage and will represent the Coalition Against Pilgrim Pipelines from along the Walkway. Representatives from Clearwater Environmental programs will also speak.

Visuals: Flags of 192 countries; banners, letter to President Obama, ribbons, large crowd, extremely diverse presenters, musicians, brass band. Buses from SUNY New Paltz and Bard; contingents from Vassar and other colleges.

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/754176838020827/

– See more at: http://www.riverkeeper.org/news-events/news/get-involved/take-action/major-climate-action-on-walkway-over-the-hudson/#sthash.biW2iQ2P.dpuf

New York doesn’t need the so-called “Constitution” Pipeline, a 124-mile 
long high-pressure pipeline that would bring fracked gas from Pennsylvania into upstate New York. We don’t need another dangerous and destructive infrastructure project that will increase our dependence on fossil fuels.

If the corporation behind the project gets its way, it will seize private property by eminent domain, clear-cut 700,000 mature trees and trench through hundreds of streams and wetlands. The clear-cutting will increase runoff and exacerbate flooding in a region already hard hit by frequent flooding. Pristine trout streams and important drinking water supplies will be contaminated. Natural habitats will be fragmented and the landscape will be scarred. Upstate New York will never be the same.

The pipeline has already been approved by the federal government, but there’s still a chance to stop it. The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation can refuse to issue a water quality certificate if it determines that the project is liable to harm our water supplies. Without the state’s water quality certificate, the project is dead.

In other words, Governor Cuomo’s DEC can stop the pipeline if it does the job it’s supposed to do—protect our water resources.

Learn more about this disastrous project at Stop the Pipeline.

Please share this Update link, cut and paste to Facebook
and Twitter:  http://bit.ly/1JA8R1T

A group of environmental activists rappelled off a bridge in Portland, Oregon, shortly before 3am PT, in a bid to block a key vessel in Shell’s Arctic drilling fleet leaving the city’s port.

The oil company’s 380ft Fennica icebreaker departure time has been delayed, but it is not yet clear what role, if any, the protesters played in the delay. The vessel was originally scheduled to leave at 4.45am, according to the Columbia River Pilots website. The Columbia River Bar Pilots website later listed the launch time as 12pm. No new departure time has been listed on either site.

A Shell spokeswoman said: “The Fennica will begin its return journey to Alaska once we’ve completed the final preparations.”

Greenpeace said that 13 of its climbers were hanging off St Johns bridge and had enough supplies to last days in their attempt to hinder Shell’s Arctic drilling plans, with another 13 people assisting them.

The vessel arrived in a dry dock in the city for repairs on Saturday, following damage to its hull in the Aleutian Islands earlier this month.

The icebreaker must be at Shell’s drill site before workers can drill deep enough for oil because it has a capping stack, a key piece of safety equipment, on board. A capping stack is required because it can stop oil leaks if a well blows out.

Annie Leonard, executive director of Greenpeace US, said: “Every second we stop Shell counts. The brave climbers here in Portland are now what stand between Shell and Arctic oil. This is President Obama’s last chance to wake up and realize the disaster that could happen on his watch.”

Sergeant Peter Simpson, a Portland police spokesman, told the Guardian that arrests may take place later today: “We are aware of the demonstration and are monitoring it in the area. The St Johns bridge remains open to all vehicle traffic. Arrests may be possible as the day goes on. Our top priority is public safety, including that of the demonstrators and other people using the river.”

written by 

Adam Vaughan in London and Ellen Bralt in New York

Wednesday 29 July 2015 07.45 EDT

The Guardian Online

You are invited to a Public Forum:
Taking Control of Our Energy Supply Through Community Choice Aggregation

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2015  7 – 9 pm
Kingston City Hall, Common Council Chambers
420 Broadway, Kingston, NY

Featured speaker Paul Fenn of California – based Local Power Inc. -the inventor of CCA -will discuss how this community based approach to energy procurement can help ramp up local production of green energy, reduce our vulnerability to volatile fossil fuel prices, and create local jobs.   Jessica Barry (Citizens for Local Power) will give an introductory overview and Jen Metzger (Citizens for Local Power) will discuss state energy reforms underway and what you can do to get the best outcome for our communities.   Ulster County Legislator Manna Jo Greene will moderate the Q&A

Presented by: Citizens for Local Power
Co-sponsored by:
Catskill Mountainkeeper
New Paltz Climate Action Coalition

For more info contact:

CITIZENSFORLOCALPOWER.COM

What’s Next after Saying No to Fracking?Join the Campaign for 100% Green Energy by 2030

Wed. Jan. 21 Albany 5 PM

Emmanuel Baptist Church, 275 State St., Albany (half a block west of Capitol)

Helping to lead the discussion will be Mark Dunlea of the Green Education and Legal Fund, Prof. Steve Breyman of RPI and recent Green Party gubernatorial candidate Howie Hawkins.

For more information, contact or 518 860-3725.

Green Education and Legal Fund www.facebook.com/nygreenelf