Addabbo Urges Support for Wind Project Off Coast of Rockaway Peninsula

Howard Beach, NY (July 29, 2016) Shortly after Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his support earlier this month for an off-shore wind project proposed off the coast of Long Island, Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. is renewing calls for support of a similar project slated to take place off the coast of the Rockaway peninsula.

The Governor recently announced he is in favor of a 90-megawatt wind farm off the coast of Montauk that would serve the South Fork region of Long Island by providing clean, renewable energy and helping to eliminate hundreds of thousands of pounds of harmful chemicals from the air each year. This project mirrors a plan, known as the Long Island-New York City Offshore Wind Project, that seeks to bring a similar facility to Rockaway, about 12 miles off the coast of the peninsula.

This proposal – a collaborative effort by Con Edison, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) – gained even more momentum in November after Governor Cuomo vetoed a plan that would have allowed the Port Ambrose Liquefied Natural Gas project to take place off the coast of Rockaway Beach. In the wake of the heavily justified veto on this dangerous, controversial liquid natural gas project, which Addabbo opposed, the Senator is now focusing efforts on working with the state as plans for the off-shore wind farm continue to progress.

“When the risky Port Ambrose LNG project was vetoed in the fall of 2015, it cleared the path for the wind farm to be talked about as the future of renewable energy for Rockaway and Long Island,” said Addabbo. “I have been a supporter of this wind project from the start and still believe that this is the most viable option for bringing clean power to our community. New York has long been a leader on environmental issues and we have shown our strengths in finding innovative ways to harvest green energy for our future. This project is the next step toward setting a precedent for others to follow.”

Addabbo cited a recent study conducted by the New York Public Service Commission which estimated that for every megawatt of fossil power used, approximately 900 pounds of carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere. By that estimate, the construction of the Long Island-New York City Offshore Wind Project would help eliminate more than 540,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year from the atmosphere – the equivalent of removing 120,000 vehicles from local streets.

The Senator noted that as details of the wind project continue to emerge, he has kept in close contact with Governor Cuomo’s office, including participating in a conference call last week during which Addabbo learned the federal government plans to offer a lease on a property for the wind farm by early next year. He also pledged to work with the Governor’s office and relevant state agencies to ensure the project stays in the public eye, with the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) hoping to obtain the lease.

“The wind project has made major strides since November, and I am proud to be a supporter as it continues to progress into an revolutionary step into New York’s environmental future,” said Addabbo. “It is inevitable that cleaner, safer energy sources must be harvested in order to keep our city, and our state, flourishing for years to come.”

Next month, NYSERDA intends to release a preliminary plan of its hopes for the Long Island-New York City Offshore Wind Project, after which Addabbo will look to have a meeting with the agency to discuss the proposal in further detail in order to keep the residents of Rockaway updated.