RGGI Report Print Final

7/30/2019 RGGI Report Print Final

1/16

RGGI

A National Model

for Fighting

Climate Change


2/16

MissionEnvironmental Advocates of New Yorks mission

is to protect our air, land, water, and wildlife and

the health of all New Yorkers. Based in Albany, we

monitor state government, evaluate proposed laws,

and champion policies and practices that will ensurethe responsible stewardship of our shared environ-

ment. We work to support and strengthen the efforts

of New Yorks environmental community and to

make our state a national leader.

Environmental Advocates of New York

353 Hamilton Street

Albany, NY 12210

Tel 518.462.5526

Fax 518.427.0381

www.eany.org

AuthorConor Bambrick

EditorsDavid VanLuven

Katherine Nadeau

Copyright August 2013

AcknowledgmentsEnvironmental Advocates thanks The Energy

Foundation, The Orchard Foundation, The

Scherman Foundation, The JM Kaplan Fund, The

Wallbridge Fund, The William C. Bullitt Foun-

dation, and The Civil Society Institute for their

generous support of this work.

Table of Contents

RGGI: A National Model

for Fighting Climate Change

Executive Summary.................................................1

Reshaping New Yorks Economy.............................2

Success in Every County .........................................6

Recommendations & Conclusion...........................11

Source Documents..................................................13


3/16

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:A MODEL FORCLIMATE ACTION

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)

is a work-horse, not a show-horse. RGGI is a nine-

state coalition which has capped carbon pollution for

energy plants at 165 million tons annually across the

Northeast while using money raised from the sale of

carbon pollution credits to reinvest back into energy

efciency and renewable energy projects.

In the few years since the programs inception, RGGI

has become the guiding hand responsible for moving

thousands of important projects in every region, coun-

ty and legislative district from concept to completion.

In fact, when President Obama announced his cli-mate change action plan in June, 2013, he referenced

12 states which have successfully moved to cut cli-

mate-altering carbon pollution from energy producers

nine of which make up the RGGI coalition.

The Presidents announcement coincides with New

Yorks own efforts to further strengthen RGGI in the

wake of the devastation felt by Hurricane Irene, Super-

storm Sandy and Tropical Storm Lee.

At the time of this writing, Governor Andrew Cuomo

has proposed rules that will further lower the amount

of pollution energy plants may emit, which will further

ght climate change, and raise new revenue for the

development of clean, renewable, and homegrown

power.

Today, when the Governor speaks about breaking

down governments silos and opening New York forbusiness, RGGI is a program he can proudly point to

as the connective tissue furthering his New New York

agenda, rebuilding our states economy.

As New York prepares to adopt the rules which will

guide RGGI during the next several years, it is import-

ant to look back at some of the key investments and

community benets delivered from this national model

for tackling the emissions causing climate change.

Governor Cuomo has recognized that economic de-

velopment and environmental protections must work

hand-in-hand, more so than any of his recent predeces-

sors.

The Governor became a national voice on the need to

ght climate change following Superstorm Sandy. And

he followed up that rhetoric with proposed rules to

strengthen RGGI which will:

Lower New Yorks carbon cap by 45% Increase greenhouse gas pollution premiums Continue the states commitment to cleanenergy and efciency

Map of member states

Since inception,

RGGI has:

Sparked the development of innovative

residential building retrot nancing

mechanisms

Supported the conversion of large

residential buildings to more efcient fuels

Enhanced consumer outreach and

education models

Launched green economy workforceprograms

Fostered ambitious investments in solar

installation

1


4/16

While Environmental Advocates acknowledges signif-

icant work remains in the ght to protect New Yorkers

from climate change, strengthening RGGI is a critical

rst step.

In almost any project of signicance, several state

agencies play key roles within the process each

having control over their workload, often competing

goals, and varying levels of experience or interest incollaboration. As a result, speed and effectiveness

are two words not often associated with state govern-

ment.

RGGI, however, is changing that dynamic between not

only the relevant state agencies, but local government,

community organizations, and business leaders, too.

Under Governor Cuomos RGGI operating plan, funds

are being utilized across a robust portfolio of energyefciency, clean power, technology innovation and

workforce development programs forcing stakeholders

to identify common goals and collaborate. The results

of this collaboration include thousands of examples in

every corner and every county in the state.

RESHAPINGNEW YORKS ECONOMY

RGGI, Inc. is a nonprot composed of heads of energy

and environmental agencies from the nine participat-

ing states. In November, 2012, RGGI Inc., estimated

that over its rst three years of operation, energy

efciency investments funded by the auction of car-

bon pollution allowances will save homeowners and

businesses $1.3 billion.

In addition to considerable economic benets for con-

sumers, the program has ensured many environmental

protections, and curbed more than 12 million tons ofclimate-altering carbon pollution the equivalent of

taking two million cars off the road for one year.

Coalition states have also invested $617 million of

carbon auction proceeds into programs designed to

reduce climate-altering pollution, increase energy

efciency and renewable energy generation, lower

consumer costs, and promote economic development

in the clean energy sector.

Igniting Development in62 CountiesAs of March, 2013, New York had auctioned 197.5

million carbon dioxide allowances, forcing inefcient

power plants to pay $450 million for climate pollution

The majority of those funds were directed to climate

change mitigation and adaptation projects a critical

effort in the wake of the devastation felt by increasing-ly extreme, erratic and unpredictable weather, includ-

ing Hurricane Irene, Superstorm Sandy and Tropical

Storm Lee.

These RGGI allocations have created jobs and ad-

vanced clean energy and energy efciency projects

across New York.

The program has already supported a signicant

increase in residential energy efciency projects, the

installation of more than three megawatts of solarphotovoltaics, clean technology research and market

development, industrial energy efciency, and climate

research and analysis.

A Record of SuccessIn addition to fostering better coordination outside and

within state government, New York has used RGGI

to invest much-needed funds into ghting greenhouse

gas pollution, lowering consumer bills, and producing

cutting edge research on climate change mitigationand adaptation.

Over the following sections, we highlight several suc-

cessful program areas driven by RGGI, including:

Green Jobs Green NY program Developing the next generation of workers Making large properties more efcient Clean energy, big savings

Climate change adaptation

Green Jobs Green New YorkRGGIs most signicant investment is in the area of

residential efciency services, accounting for more

than 50% of program spending. It is easy to see why:

New Yorks housing stock is old and inefcient, with

85% constructed prior to 1980. Residential structures

are responsible for 29% of electricity consumption

statewide. Buildings residential, commercial, and in-

dustrial are responsible for 39% of the states overall

2


5/16

greenhouse gas emissions, second only to the transpor-

tation sector.

The Green Jobs program directs RGGI funds to pro-

vide free home energy audits, offer innovative low-

cost nancing options for efciency retrots of single

and multi-family structures, and develop building

efciency job training programs.

Bolstered through the Power New York Act of 2011,

Green Jobs is the only statewide clean energy pro-

gram with the exibility to promote energy efciency

and sustainable building measures for homes, small

businesses, and nonprot organizations. RGGI funds,

unlike other fuel-specic NYSERDA programs, are

not constrained by Public Service Commission (PSC)

rules that limit spending to measures related only to

electric or natural gas improvements. This allows

RGGI programs to reach a broader set of customers,such as the more than 30% of New Yorkers who cur-

rently use oil to heat their homes. Prior to the creation

of Green Jobs, funding options available to these

households were very limited.

Saving New Yorkers MoneyAs of February, 2013, more than 31,000 single-family

energy audits had been completed through Green Jobs

Importantly, the completion rate from audit to retrotis 35% a signicant increase over NYSERDAs audit

program completion rate prior to Green Jobs which

was a cool 10%.

Green Jobs offers innovative nancing options to

customers to retrot their homes. After undergoing a

free or reduced cost energy audit to identify a menu

of proven cost savings measures, individuals have the

option of applying for a direct loan through NYSER-

DA or entering into an agreement to pay off the loan

through their utility bills, a practice commonly known

as on-bill recovery. The scope of projects are based

3


6/16

on each households estimated monthly energy sav-

ings, and repayment plans are designed to then deter-

mine loan repayment schedules based on savings.

This approach eliminates a signicant market barrier

by providing the upfront capital for common sense ef-

ciency projects without increasing monthly expenses.

The creative nancing options are clearly attractiveto homeowners. Through the rst part of 2013, NY-

SERDA closed on 3,099 loans totaling $31,324,984

for building energy retrots. Overall, when accounting

for all of NYSERDAs residential efciency offerings,

Green Jobs energy audits have resulted in the comple-

tion of more than 11,000 projects.

A Skilled Workforce for aCutting-Edge EconomyGreen Jobs is also focused on building and main-

taining the infrastructure necessary to educate, train,

and prepare New Yorkers for new economy jobs in

building efciency and renewable energy.

The program directs NYSERDA to bring

together all stakeholders and develop a

robust network of workforce develop-

ment and community outreach partners to

promote program participation and help

individuals, particularly those from tra-

ditionally economically distressed areas,down the path to a career in the clean energy economy.

It accomplishes this in part by mandating highly suc-

cessful coordination between the states Department of

Labor, the Division of Homes & Community Renew-

al, the Ofce of Temporary & Disability Assistance,

educational institutions, labor unions, businesses, and

community-based organizations throughout the state.

The exibility of RGGI funds allows for a co-min-

gling with other initiatives supported by NYSERDAs

Energy Efciency Portfolio Standard, Systems Ben-

et Charge, and Technology & Market Development

programs sources which are restricted to research

and development and projects related to electricity and

natural gas.

This exibility also means partners and participantsextend well beyond the usual suspects. RGGI dollars

have been used to create partnerships with communi-

ty colleges, universities, local high school vocational

programs, and businesses statewide, funding curric-

ulum development, training centers, equipment and

tools, eld testing labs, certication, and accreditation.

Notable examples include:

Syracuse Universitys Southside Innovation Cen-ter; The Hudson Valleys ve college Clean EnergyTechnology Training Consortium (Ulster, DutchessOrange, Rockland, and Sullivan Community Col-leges);

Commercial energy audit training at theCity University of New York, SUNY StonyBrook, and Monroe County CommunityCollege Local 32BJ Thomas Shortman Training

Fund for building performance training.

RGGI job training funds are available to businessesthat have worked with the Department of Labors One-

Stop Career Centers which match career applicants

with green job opportunities. For each new hire by

building performance contractors, NYSERDA covers

50% of the workers salary during a six-month on-the-

job training period. Businesses are also eligible for an

additional $4,000 incentive to cover outside training

costs. Through early 2013, 35 businesses and more

than 100 individuals had beneted from this program.

As part of the Pathways Out of Poverty focus of

Green Jobs, the program has dedicated resources to

disadvantaged youth. NYSERDA has worked with

organizations like YouthBuild, the Urban League of

Rochester, and the Northeast Parent & Child Society

to provide job training and General Equivalency Di-

ploma (G.E.D.) assistance services to at-risk youth.

NYSERDA invests

RGGI resources in New York to:

Spur the clean energy economy

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Provide consumer, health, and

environmental benets

Offset disproportionate impacts on

environmental justicecommunities

4


7/16

Putting the Hudson Valley to Work

In the Hudson Valley, the SUNY Ulster Clean Energy

Technology Training Consortium has attracted more

than 2,500 participants to be trained in renewable

energy and green technology construction. As a result,

companies like SolarTech Renewables, Malcarne Con-

struction, and Hudson Solar have been able to expand

their businesses by hiring well trained, clean energy

professionals from the local workforce.

RGGI funds have played a key role in the Consortium,

a ve-county partnership between Ulster, Dutchess,

Orange, Rockland, and Sullivan County community

colleges.

In 2013, SUNY Ulster tapped additional RGGI funds

to partner with a local green building rm and trans-

form one of the colleges original buildings into a

state-of-the-art energy efciency science lab. The

building will serve as a regional training center for

students pursuing certications in sustainable build-ing practices, providing demonstrations of real world

challenges that contractors and building-performance

professionals encounter when conducting energy ef-

ciency retrots.

RGGI funds are also being used to build four other

training facilities across New York, thereby creating a

skilled workforce for the states 21st century economy.

Creating Opportunity

The original Green Jobs legislation directed NYSER-

DA to develop unique consumer education and work-

force outreach partnerships with community-based

organizations throughout the state with an emphasis

on communities in clean air non-attainment zones

or where energy costs are high in relation to median

family income.

NYSERDA contracts with community-based organiza-

tions to provide specialized consumer outreach and ed-

ucation, especially in the area of nancial counseling

for retrot loans. They also work with local contrac-tors to aggregate energy efciency projects in particu-

lar neighborhoods in return for upfront commitments

by the contractors to provide community benets like

local hiring, prevailing wages, and benets; in turn,

contractors benet from work in multiple buildings

within close proximity.

Community-based organizations play a key role in the

recruitment and retention of individuals seeking green

careers, coordinating with One-Stop Career Centers

and local training programs to match applicants with

job and educational opportunities. Many of these

organizations also offer support services like G.E.D.

programs and assistance accessing other state resourc-

es available to assist families, low-income individuals,

and the unemployed.

Courtesy of Barbara Reer

5

Legislative Districts Beneftting

Senate: John Bonacic, David Carlucci, Terry Gipson,Cecelia Tkaczyk, James Seward, Bill Larkin

Assembly: Didi Barrett, Kevin Cahill, Aileen Gunther,Eileen Jaffey, Kieran Michael Lalor, Annie Rabbitt,

Frank Skartados, James Skous, Claudia Tenney,Ken Zebrowski


Senate: Mark Grisanti, Timothy Kennedy

Assembly: Michael Kearns, Crystal Peoples-Stokes,Sean Ryan


8/16

There are 18 active communi-

ty-based organizations bringing

energy efciency services to un-

derserved communities across New

York.

To bring energy efciency oppor-

tunities to underserved parts of

Buffalo and surrounding commu-nities, PUSH Green utilized RGGI

support to launch a program that:

sends canvassers to knockon doors and explain the costbenets of Green Jobs loans andon-bill nancing; provides nancial advocatesto help homeowners navigatethe complexities of getting free

energy audits and applying forloans; and works with contractors onfollow-through to make homesmore energy efcient.

PUSH Green also helped build a

trained workforce in the area by

having organizers work directly

with the state Department of Labor,

businesses, and the Laborers

International Union of North Amer-ica to connect individuals interested

in pursuing a green career pathway

with training and apprenticeship

initiatives.

The result has been new jobs, more

efcient homes, and lower elec-

trical bills for many Buffalo-area

residents living in underserved

neighborhoods.

Making LargeProperties MoreEfcientBoth the Multifamily Performance

Program and Multifamily Carbon

Emissions Reduction Program

utilize RGGI and complementary

NYSERDA clean energy funds toprovide loan support for wholesale

energy retrots and heating fuel

conversions at larger residential

buildings with ve or more units.

Nearly 60% of the program fund-

ing has been dedicated to buildings

serving low-income housing units.

Like the residential programs for

smaller homes, all buildings un-

dergo energy audits to determine

applicable cost-effective measures

like converting heating units fromoil to more efcient fuel sources,

installing more efcient water heat-

ing systems, improving building

envelopes, and modernizing HVAC

systems.

The Multifamily Carbon Emissions

Reduction Program provides highly

sought funding to convert heat-

ing systems from #6 fuel oil the

heaviest and most polluting tocleaner fuel alternatives. Within

three months of its launch in 2011,

these RGGI dollars were commit-

ted to 190 projects to benet more

than 30,000 households.

SUCCESS INEVERY COUNTYStudents Help CoolGreater BinghamtonAirport

The Greater Binghamton Airport,

using awards from RGGIs Re-

gional Economic Development and

Greenhouse Gas Reduction Pro-

gram and the Federal Aviation Ad-

ministration (FAA), is constructing

a ground-breaking project that will

be used to demonstrate the feasibil-

ity of utilizing geo-thermal technol-

ogy to manage airport operations,

maintenance, and safety throughout

the nation. The initiative was the

result of a winning proposal sub-

mitted by Binghamton University

students to an annual FAA compe-

tition that challenges participants

to develop solutions to problems

that can sometimes disrupt airportoperations.

The engineering undergrads teamed

up with Broome County ofcials,

the Greater Binghamton Airport,

and the McFarland and Johnson

engineering rm to come up with

an innovative system that will use

geo-radiant heating to prevent snow

and ice accumulation at the primary

passenger loading area on the air-

ports tarmac. The technology will

also double as the cooling system

for the main terminal during the

summer months. It is difcult for

airports to manage winter precipi-

tation because traditional methods,

like salt, have the potential to dam-

age jet engines.

Courtesy of PushGreen

6


Senate: Tom Libous

Assembly: Donna Lupardo


9/16

The $1.2 million FAA grant has been dedicated to

the installation of the geo-thermal heating prototype.

RGGIs Regional Economic Development and Green-

house Gas Reduction Program provided

$350,000 to connect the main terminal to

the geo-thermal system.

The project is an excellent example of how

Governor Cuomos RGGI-funded pro-grams are tapping the innovation of uni-

versities to resolve the pragmatic challeng-

es facing businesses and communities.

Helping H2Pump RecycleHydrogen

Many industries rely on hydrogen as an integral part

of their manufacturing processes, but it comes at a

signicant cost both to the companies and the envi-

ronment. Manufactures that do not produce hydrogen

on-site have to procure their gas from outside sup-

pliers, forcing them to incur production and delivery

costs. Conventional manufacturing operations use anapplication of hydrogen only once per cycle, releasing

the rest into the air. These inefcient processes result

in increased demand for hydrogen production, 95%

of which is derived from natural gas, driving up air

emissions linked to the manufacture, transportation,

and delivery of the gas.

H2Pump LLC, a company based in Latham, NY, took

a look at how hydrogen was being utilized and saw a

huge cost saving opportunity. Taking advantage of the

RGGI Industrial Process Improvement Program, thecompany developed a hydrogen-recycling technolo-

gy that allows manufactures with hydrogen-intense

processes, like those involved in steel and semicon-

ductor production, to reuse as much as 90% of the gas

avoiding the need to refuel with each application.

The innovative device helps to cut back on hydrogen

use, storage, and transportation costs. The company

estimates that the average net savings per hydrogen-re-

cycling machine installed is $55,000 per year.

RGGI has provided $1.8 million in funding to help

H2Pump bridge the gap between innovation and com-

mercialization by demonstrating the effectiveness of

its technology at industrial facilities across

the state. By documenting and certify-

ing the cost savings and environmental

benets gained with through a hydrogen

recycling retrot, H2Pump will be well

positioned to mass market their technol-ogy. The devices are to be utilized at six

locations, including:

Rome Strip Steel in Rome Pall Corporations site in Cortland The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineer-ing in Albany

The Zeller Corporation, based in the City of Rochester

is handling the manufacturing of the hydrogen recy-

cling products, providing an additional boost to NewYorks economy.

Modernizing Large Buildings

The Carnegie House is a 317 unit co-op located inthe heart of Manhattan. Built in the early 1960s, the

building was bleeding energy and running on outdated

systems that were approaching the end of their lifecy-

cles.

In New York City, where electricity costs are consis-

tently among the most expensive in the nation, need-

lessly wasting energy is no laughing matter.

Luckily, the buildings board worked with NYSER-

DA to tap into RGGI and other clean energy funds to

develop the Multifamily Performance Program, an

energy efciency building retrot initiative geared to-

ward residential buildings with ve or more units. The

program provides applicants with grants and low-in-

terest loans for projects that will reduce oil, natural gas

and steam energy use, improve the performance water

heating systems, ventilation and building envelopes to

cut energy use and costs.

7


Senate: Brad Hoylman

Assembly: Richard Gottfried


Senate: Neil Breslin, Joseph Griffo, Joe Robach,

James Seward

Assembly:Anthony Brindisi, Harry Bronson,Patricia Fahy, Barbara Lifton, Phil Steck


10/16

Working with NYSERDA, the Carnegie House board

and their building manager secured nearly $200,000

worth of incentives and a $500,000 low interest loan

through the Green Jobs Green New York program to

overhaul the buildings energy systems. The project

involved upgrading the ventilation system, insulating

the steam line, and installing energy efcient lighting

xtures.

The Carnegie House now uses 15% less energy and its

residents save $250-$475 per year on their utility bills.

In all, the project savings are expected to exceed $1.2

million over the life of the measures, paying for itself

in just under six years.

Clean Energy, Big SavingsThe RGGI-funded Statewide Photovoltaic Program

provides incentives for residential, commercial, and

industrial solar installations with an emphasis on stra-

tegically located projects that reduce peak loads and

other stresses on the electric grid. The program has

provided funding for 367 solar photovoltaic systems

adding up to nearly 3.5 MW of generating capacity

enough to power approximately 550 homes.

RGGI funds have also stabilized Long Islands suc-

cessful but under-resourced Solar Pioneer Rebate

program with $11 million to help the program meet in-

creasing demand for solar power on Long Island. As a

result, the Long Island Power Authority has been able

to proceed with a utility-scale solar project to generate50 MW of new energy capacity enough to power

7,750 homes with solar.

350 Solar Projects

RGGI funds have supported solar installations at

homes, government buildings, and businesses across

the state creating jobs, reducing greenhouse gas

emissions, and helping New York transition to clean,

21st century energy sources.

The more than 350 solar projects supported by RGGI

Statewide Photovoltaic Program include:

Cayuga Community College, where a126-panel a

ray will provide taxpayers with energy cost savingsfor the next 25 years. St. Luke Apartments in Oswego, a101-unit affordable housing project for seniors, low-income resi-dents, and people living with disabilities. The systewill reduce the buildings energy costs by nearly$40,000 annually. Geneva Community Center where a 117-panel aray is projected to save the center nearly $150,000in utility costs over 25 years.

Manlius Pebble Hill School in DeWitt, whose

117-panel array will save the school $6,000 to

$9,000 each year in utility costs.

Next Wave of Solar Development

Utilizing $5 million in RGGI funds in conjunction

with additional state and private commitments, the

Governor leveraged the hugely successful SUNYAlbany College of Nanoscale Science and Technolog

partnership with semiconductor pioneer SEMATECH

to win $62.5 million from the U.S. Department of En

ergy. The partnership will bring down the cost of sola

manufacturing by 75% over the next decade.

Building off the renowned SEMATECH semiconduc

tor model of the 1980s the impetus of the computer

age as we know it the public-private partnership

8


Senate: John DeFrancisco, Michael Nozzolio,Patricia Ritchie

Assembly: William Barclay, Gary Finch, Brian Kolb,Samuel Roberts


Senate: Neil Breslin, Kathy Marchione

Assembly: Pat Fahy, Jim Tedisco


11/16

formed the U.S. Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consor-

tium (PVMC). Headquartered at the Albany Nanotech

facility, PVMC has brought together over 40 leading

solar industry members and partners to develop the

next generation of solar photovoltaic technology.

The PVMC members are pooling their resources to

take advantage of SUNY Albanys nano-

technology expertise and state-of-the-artfacilities which include the Solar Energy

Development Center in Halfmoon, NY.

The collaborative effort, which will be

overseen by SUNY Albany and SEMAT-

ECH and implemented by members of the

consortium, is focused on advancing thin lm solar

photovoltaic cells by improving performance and re-

liability while lowering costs at each stage of produc-

tion from development to deployment. The initiative

has the potential to establish New York and the U.S. asthe global leader in next generation solar manufactur-

ing.

A Future Powered by Biofuel

For over 25 years, the SUNY College of Environ-

mental Science and Forestry (ESF) has been leading

research on producing willow shrubs for use as a

carbon-neutral renewable biofuel. Now, backed by a

$397,000 RGGI grant, ESF is ready to enact a training

program to scale up willow crop production to com-

mercial scale.

The program will offer ESFs expertise and technicalknowledge to landowners, farmers, and other bioen-

ergy stakeholders to help guide best-practices in the

areas of willow production, management, harvest, and

distribution. The program will benet the economies

of nine upstate counties: Clinton, Essex, Franklin,

Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oneida, Oswego, and St.

Lawrence.

Using willow shrubs as a bioenergy source offers great

agricultural potential. These fast growing shrubs can

be harvested up to seven times over 20 years from just

one planting. They require minimal maintenance and

can thrive on land that would otherwise be ill-suited

for other crops, providing farmers with new economic

opportunities. The product can be used to generate

heat and electricity or as a biofuel to meet transporta-

tion needs.

The ESF Willow Biomass Training Pro-gram will work with stakeholders through-

out the nine-county region to support the

environmentally sound development of a

commercial willow shrub supply chain.

The program will provide farmers and

landowners with guidance on how to maximize willow

production on marginal tracts of farmland, as well as

on transportation and energy production.

The program coincides with a $1.2 million award fromthe USDA to spur the development of 1,200 acres

of new willow shrub crops in New York. ReEnergy

Holdings, a bioenergy company based in Latham, NY

and a partner in the project, has committed to purchase

willow produced under the program for use at two

of its existing biomass facilities: Black River in Fort

Drum, NY (which converted from coal to biomass in

2013) and Lyonsdale in Lyons Falls, NY.

Although the willow is burned as a fuel source, studies

have shown that the carbon dioxide absorbed by thegrowing plants balances that which is emitted through

combustion. However, the methods used to grow and

transport the plants (particularly fertilizers which emit

nitrous oxide) can shift the process to be a net absorber

or emitter of greenhouse gases, which is why the train-

ing provided by this project is so important.

$10 Billion Reasons for Adaptation

New Yorks entire infrastructure is outdated. Follow-

ing Superstorm Sandy, infrastructure in many parts of

New York City, Long Island the lower Hudson Valley

was swamped just when residents were most in need.

And infrastructure is only some of the ways climate

change is impacting our way of life: entire commu-

9


Senate: Neil Breslin, Hugh Farley, Joseph Griffo,Betty Little, Patricia Ritchie, James Seward, DavidValesky

Assembly: Ken Blankenbush, Anthony Brindisi,Janet Duprey, Patricia Fahy, Bill Magee, WilliamMagnarelli, Addie Russell, Dan Stec, Phil Steck


Senate:Adriano Espaillat, Tom OMara, Bill Perkins

Assembly: Barbara Lifton, Daniel ODonnell, KeithWright


12/16

nities were built in known ood plains, and a loss of

natural barriers like wetlands leaves New Yorkers in

danger.

NYSERDAs Climate Research and Analysis Program

supports extensive scientic research on the observed

and potential future impacts of climate change in New

York, and then utilizes data to develop mitigation and

adaptation measures to better prepare for future cli-mate challenges.

In 2011, climate scientists at Columbia University, the

City University of New York, and Cornell University,

commissioned by NYSERDA, released what many

consider a denitive study on climate change adaption,

entitled, Responding to Climate Change in New York

State. The exhaustive 600-page report (referred to

as ClimAID) is the most detailed examination of the

impacts the warming climate is having on the state todate.

Published as New Yorkers were still recovering from

the devastation caused by Hurricane Irene and Tropi-

cal Storm Lee, ClimAID projected that, in the absence

of signicant actions to reverse the warming trend,

the frequency and severity of extreme weather would

worsen. According to the study, heat waves and heavy

storms are expected to become more prolonged and

intense, exacerbating the threat of ooding, and econ-

omists predict climate impacts could cost as much as

$10 billion a year in New York State by 2050. Less

than a year after the report was released, Superstorm

Sandy struck, killing dozens, causing tens of billions

of dollars in damages, and displacing more than

10,000 New York households.

The ClimAID report included a series of climate

change assessments across eight distinct sectors: water

resources, coastal zones, ecosystems, agriculture,

energy, transportation, telecommunications, and public

health. Each section included specic recommenda-

tions on critical areas requiring more in depth analysisNew York State is using these recommendations to

commission a suite of projects on climate issues.

All of these projects were in the early stages at the

time of this report, but the following examples pro-

vide a closer look at three projects addressing natural

resource mapping, transportation infrastructure, and

dairy industry cooling techniques.

Landscape and WildlifeAdaptation

Superstorm Sandy was a violent reminder that we need

to adapt our communities and infrastructure to handle

climate change and ensure that New Yorks naturalsystems whether barrier beaches and coastal wet-

lands on Long Island, forests and alpine systems in the

Catskills and Adirondacks, or streams and wetlands in

our neighborhoods can adapt as well.

With more than 7.5 million acres of conservation lands

across the state plus all the natural lands in private

ownership New Yorks natural resource managers

have a lot of work to do. The challenge, however, is

determining what should be done and where.

Through funding from RGGI, the Nature Conservancy

SUNY-ESF, and state Department of Environmen-

tal Conservation are developing a decision support

toolkit for natural resource managers. The map-based

digital tool will walk them through land management

questions to help them decide where to pursue differ-

ent adaptation strategies, such as protecting wildlife

migration corridors and restoring oodplains.

A North Country road is washed out following Trop-ical Storm Irene. Courtesy of Martha Allen / Adiron-dack Daily Enterprise.

10


Senate: Neil Breslin, David Valesky

Assembly: Patricia Fahy, William Magnarelli


13/16

Keeping Roads SafeSubways and tunnels arent the only transportation

infrastructure in New York vulnerable to ooding.

Roads statewide often follow ood-prone valleys and

cross streams and rivers that rise dramatically during

extreme downpours. Although climate change is pro-

jected to bring extreme downpours more frequently

to New York, and in the process deliver more severe

oods, the state design standards for our roadways are

still based on weather patterns from the 1960s.

With RGGI funding, Cornell University

climatologists and the state Department of

Transportation are using sophisticated computer

models to project the future extreme downpours that

our roads, and our communities, will likely be facing.

These models will be a sound basis for establishing

updated design standards that will help ensure road-

ways can withstand future oods.

Keeping Dairy Cows Cool

Dairy cows dont like heat, which means milk pro-

duction will drop due to heat stress as climate change

makes New Yorks summers hotter. To offset this

problem, researchers are exploring a variety of cooling

techniques, such as improved ventilation in barns and

sprinklers, to keep the milk owing.

With funding from RGGI, Dr. Lars Angenent at Cor-

nell University is exploring a novel cooling system to

use cow manure for the generation of ammable bio-

gas which can be burned to generate electricity. This

process reduces greenhouse gas emissions and allows

farmers to generate their own electricity on site.

Unfortunately, the process isnt perfectly efcient and

generates waste heat. And this is where Dr. Angenents

novel cooling system comes in. Rather than simply

letting the waste heat dissipate into the air, he is testing

a system that would capture that heat and use it to gen-

erate a stream of chilled uid. That uid can be routed

below cow resting areas to alleviate heat stress and, in

turn, boost milk production.

Dairy is a major industry at risk. Keeping cows cool

will be an increasingly serious challenge as summersgrow progressively hotter, but creative approaches can

both address the local challenge of producing milk

while contributing to the broader challenges of reduc-

ing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting renew-

able energy.

RECOMMENDATIONS &CONCLUSION

New York State has launched its required regulatory

review process in order to lower the carbon cap and

adopt additional recommended amendments to the

RGGI program. The process is being led by the state

Department of Environmental Conservation, NYSER-

DA, and the Public Service Commission, and will

conclude in late 2013.

Environmental Advocates of New York supports

Governor Cuomos broad proposals to expand and

strengthen RGGI, a plan which will:

1: Ensure that New York adopts, by January 1,2014, a carbon pollution cap that reduces emis-sions to current levels on par with its share ofthe 91 million tons agreed to by the broader RGGIstate coalition and places the state on track tofurther reduce emissions by 20% by 2020.

2: Utilize the states authority to retire and/orpermanently withhold unsold and undistributed

allowances from prior auctions prevent dirty powerplants from circumventing critical reforms.

11


Senate: Tom OMara

Assembly: Barbara Lifton


14/16

Environmental Advocates is also urging:

A rational emissions leakage policy that accountsfor the carbon emissions associated with all theelectricity consumed within the RGGI region,including power imported from states not currentlyparticipating in the program. Expanding the program to cover emissions

associated with other economic sectors includingindustrial stationary sources, energy infrastructurelike pipelines and well pads, buildings, and trans-portation. Including known greenhouse gas pollutants suchas methane, nitrous oxide, hydrouorocarbons,peruorocarbons, and sulfur hexauoride. Continuing the states commitment to investRGGI proceeds in ways that help spur the cleanenergy economy; reduce greenhouse gas emis-sions; provide consumer, health, and environmen-tal benets; and offset disproportionate impacts on

underserved communities by dedicating increasedrevenues to NYSERDAs portfolio of energy ef-ciency, clean power, and technology programs.

ConclusionRGGI was billed as a critical tool in New Yorks

ght to address the impacts of climate pollution. The

success of the program is proof positive that policies

aimed at supporting environmental stewardship and

economic growth can be one and the same.

New York has an opportunity to build on the successes

of RGGI through the adoption of a strict cap that will

cut carbon emissions by another 45%. The state should

utilize the regulatory process to push the envelope

by exploring ways to expand the reach of the pro-

gram to cover other economic sectors, cap additional

greenhouse gases, and nally take on the challenge

of pollution generated through electricity imports. A

lower, more aggressive cap can strengthen and expand

RGGIs successful programs, thereby boosting New

Yorks clean energy economy and better protecting

New Yorks communities and treasured landscapesfrom the most severe consequences of climate change.

12


15/16

SOURCE DOCUMENTS

2011-2012 Annual Report NYSERDA

Binghamton Airport Geothermal Project, Carl Beardsley, Broome County Aviation Commissioner

Binghamton Airport Geothermal Project: CFA Project Data - http://www.nyscfaprojectdata.ny.gov/cfadatat-

able/nyserda?eld_cfa_agency_value=All&eld_ny_region_value=Southern+Tier&eld_round_key_val -

ue=2-3&=Apply

Biomass Crop Assistance Program Project Area 10: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/bcap_ny10.pdf

Biomass Crop Assistance Program Project Area Number 10 Overview: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/

FSA/newsReleases?area=newsroom&subject=landing&topic=pfs&newstype=prfactsheet&type=de-

tail&item=pf_20120608_consv_en_proj10.html

Central New York REDC & NYSERDA Announce SUNY ESF Project to Grow Willow Biomass Industry fro

Renewable Energy: http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Newsroom/2013-Announcements/2013-06-11-Central-

NY-REDC-and-NYSERDA-Announce-SUNY-ESF-Project.aspx

Chapters 487 and 488 of the Laws of 2009 and Chapter 388 of the Laws of 2011

Developing Willow Biomass Crops as a Source of Home Grown Energy; T.A. Volk, SUNY ESF, March 20,

2010.

Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement for Promulgation of the Proposed Revisions to

6 NYCRR Part 242: CO2 Budget Trading Program And the Promulgation of the Proposed Revisions to 6 NY-

CRR Part 200: General Provisions; New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, July 9, 2013

ESF, ReEnergy Collaborate on USDA-Funded Willow Program: http://www.esf.edu/communications/view.

asp?newsID=1778

Fiscal Year 2012-13 Budget and Financial Plan NYSERDA, September 2012

Green Jobs Green New York Monthly Update: April 2013

Green Jobs Green New York Monthly Update: February 2013 NYSERDA

Green Jobs Green New York Outreach and Marketing Plan NYSERDA, June 28, 2010

Green Jobs Green New York: Annual Report NYSERDA, July 31, 2012

Green Jobs Green New York: Workforce Development Operating Plan NYSERDA

New York Green Residential Building Program Annual Report NYSERDA, September 2012

New York Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Advisory Group Meeting Proposed RGGI Operating Plan

Power Point NYSERDA, May 2, 2013

New Yorks Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Operating Plan Amendment for 2013 NYSERDA, April

25, 2013 Draft)

New Yorks RGGI-Funded Programs Status Report: Quarter Ending December 31, 2012 NYSERDA

New Yorks RGGI-Funded Programs Status Report: Quarter Ending June 30, 2012 NYSERDA

New Yorks RGGI-Funded Programs Status Report: Quarter Ending September 30, 2012 NYSERDA

NYSERDA Awards $1.8 Million to H2Pump of Latham To Help Demonstrate Energy-Saving Hydrogen

Technology, January 29, 2013: http://www.h2pumpllc.com/news/

Operating Plan for Investments in New York Under the CO2 Budget Trading Program and the CO2 Allow-

ance Auction Program NYSERDA, November 15, 2012

Operations and Accomplishments Annual Report: Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2012 NYSERDA

President Obama Speaks on Climate Change, June 25, 2013: http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/

video/2013/06/25/president-obama-speaks-climate-change

Process Evaluation and Market Characterization and Assessment Green Jobs-Green New York Residential

Program NMR Group, September 2012

Regional Investment of RGGI CO2 Allowance Proceeds, 2011 RGGI, Inc., November 2012

RGGI Auction Results: http://www.rggi.org/market

Toward a Clean Energy Future: A Three-Year Strategic Outlook 2012-2015 NYSERDA, July 2012

Toward a Clean Energy Future: A Three-Year Strategic Outlook 2013-2016 NYSERDA, July 2013

U.S. Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium: http://www.uspvmc.org/

13


16/16

353 Hamilton Street

Albany, NY 12210

Tel 518.462.5526

Fax 518.427.0381

www.eany.org

[email protected]