State Senator Tom O’Mara is encouraging New Yorkers to participate in public hearings and submit written comments regarding the state’s “Draft 2025 Energy Plan.” The hearings begin September 3, and written comments will be accepted until October 6.
O’Mara has expressed concern over the short timeframe for public input and the absence of direct hearings in several upstate regions, including the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes. He said, “Are we finally facing a ‘back to the drawing board’ moment on the CLCPA timeline and other climate mandates? Are we about to undertake an honest, open, long-awaited, and desperately needed public discussion on the realities of where we’re headed? Will it be followed by meaningful action out of Albany? It will be critical to provide every opportunity for public input and then to ensure that their input is taken seriously.”
The New York State Energy Board is hosting a series of hearings through September at locations such as Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, Poughkeepsie, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Long Island. More information about the draft plan can be found at https://energyplan.ny.gov/Plans/Draft-2025-Energy-Plan. Details about hearing dates are available at https://energyplan.ny.gov/Get-Involved/Hearings. Written comment instructions are provided at https://energyplan.ny.gov/Get-Involved/Comment.
O’Mara serves on the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee. He notes that finalizing an updated energy plan could represent a significant turning point for New York’s energy future. The push for revision comes after growing skepticism regarding strategies set by former Governor Andrew Cuomo and legislative majorities following passage of the Climate Leadership and Protection Act (CLCPA) in 2019.
He said that from early stages he and others have questioned whether there was sufficient cost-benefit analysis around implementing clean energy mandates under current timelines. O’Mara stated concerns about affordability, feasibility, reliability for ratepayers, businesses, industry sectors, and local economies.
O’Mara added: “We have raised concerns for good reasons. The newly released ‘Draft 2025 Energy Plan’ clearly acknowledges that the CLCPA timeline the state has been pushing at breakneck speed to achieve 70 percent renewable energy by 2030 and zero emissions by 2040 isn’t realistic and can’t be met under the plan with current technologies as it stands. The key bottom line here is that the ‘Draft 2025 Energy Plan’ could mark the beginning of a vital realignment, one that heeds the widespread warnings over affordability, feasibility, and reliability that have long been voiced by our Senate and Assembly minority conferences, as well as by the New York Independent Systems Operator (NYSIO), State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, the Empire Center for Public Policy, and other independent watchdogs. But will it? It is important for all New Yorkers who have shared our concerns to continue to share them now during this public comment process to ensure that their voices are heard moving forward.”
He criticized both scheduling—since no hearings are planned in areas like Central New York or North Country—and limited opportunities for participation among residents from those regions. O’Mara has requested additional hearings across these areas along with extending written comment deadlines until November 1.
“Too many New Yorkers in too many upstate regions, including the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions I represent, are not provided a readily accessible hearing site that they can attend in person. They should be afforded every opportunity to participate in one of the most important public hearings processes that this state will ever undertake,” he said.
O’Mara also raised issues with representation on the state Energy Board responsible for finalizing an updated plan; only members from executive cabinet positions plus majority representatives from each chamber serve as voting members while organizations such as NYISO do not hold votes nor do legislative minorities participate directly.
He concluded: “The public needs to pay attention to this process and demand appropriate accountability. Key questions are being raised. Will the state put forth a straightforward cost-benefit analysis that provides New York ratepayers with true costs of what they’re facing if attempts are made to meet existing CLCPA targets? Bear in mind that unknown costs…will be borne by New York ratepayers…already taking place under massive rate hikes being imposed by NYSEG, RG&E & National Grid across our region. Will there be immediate specific actions…to revise…delay or eliminate current CLCPA mandates?…Will public input make a difference this time around?…Or is [the] underlying goal…to produce a politically expedient document? We can’t afford [for] new…draft energy plan [to] wind up being merely a replay of what’s taken place up to now.”
