BUILD PUBLIC RENEWABLES ACT
THE PROBLEM:
New York only gets 29% of its electricity from renewable sources – a number far too low to meet the scale of the current climate crisis. Private utility companies like Central Hudson have complete control of the energy market and charge heavy premiums for electricity and gas sourced from fossil fuels.
Only 5%
$1.5 Billion
$21 Million
THE SOLUTION: BUILD PUBLIC RENEWABLES
The New York Power Authority (NYPA), the largest public power provider in the country, is restricted by an arbitrary cap on the number of large-scale renewable energy projects it can own. The Build Public Renewables Act would remove that restriction to allow the NYPA to build large-scale renewable energy projects quicker and cheaper than private utility companies would, creating a source of affordable and publicly-owned clean energy.
CHEAPER UTILITY BILLS
The Build Public Renewables Act would enable NYPA to sell low-cost renewable energy directly to New York residential customers, with a 50% discount for low-to-moderate income customers, prioritizing disadvantaged communities.
ENDING OUR RELIANCE ON FOSSIL FUELS
In addition to requiring the New York Power Authority to phase out the fossil fuel plants it owns, the Build Public Renewables Act would provide all state-owned buildings with 100% renewable energy and retrofit public buildings – like schools and public housing – to be safer and more energy efficient.
CREATING GREEN JOBS
The Build Public Renewables Act would create thousands of good paying jobs, and mandate retraining and priority rehiring of any workers displaced by closing fossil fuel projects.
Unions that have expressed support for the Build Public Renewables Act include 1199SEIU, NYSUT, UUP, PSC-CUNY, and UAW Region 9A.
SIGN THE PETITION
Add your name in support of the Build Public Renewables Act. We’ll deliver the petition on your behalf to your legislators during the 2023 legislative session.
