NY Clean-Energy Industry to See Boost from Federal Infrastructure Act
New York's Climate Act has a target goal of 70% renewable energy by 2030, and 9,000 MW of offshore wind energy by 2035. (Adobe Stock)
ALBANY, N.Y. -- The Senate-approved Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has $15 billion allocated for the electric vehicle industry, and is expected to add momentum to New York's growing commitment to renewables.
The New York Climate Act outlines that the state must reach 100% zero-emission energy by 2040.
Anne Reynolds, executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY), said with ambitious climate goals, the state is also seeing healthy momentum in the solar-energy movement.
"And we hope that it continues, because we still have a long way to go," Reynolds asserted. "We still get the majority of our energy from fossil fuels, and if we want that to be more and more renewable, we have to get things built."
Reynolds noted more than 1,000 wind turbines have been installed across New York, and the state has signed more than 90 contracts with wind and solar companies. She hopes the Infrastructure Act funds will be used to prioritize transit that helps to reduce airborne emissions, such as electric vehicles and high-speed rail.
ACE NY is a 100-member organization that includes wind- and solar-power groups, electric vehicle-charging companies and others. Looking to the future, Reynolds hopes some equipment and supply chain for clean-energy vehicles can be based in-state to boost the local economy.
"My dream would be that ACE starts to get members that manufacture wind turbines or solar panels, or electric buses in New York State," Reynolds outlined. "And we can help create not just the construction jobs that we're creating right now, on the ground, but also some manufacturing jobs."
She added ACE NY expects to have about 20 clean-energy projects under construction around the state this year.
At the same time, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report published this week warned once again greenhouse gases are responsible for global warming, and suggested lowering carbon emissions to limit the worst impacts.
Local News: April 25, 2024
Student Protestors Occupy Cornell’s Arts Quad- Activists at Cornell set up an encampment Thursday morning in the university’s arts quad. The Coalition for Mutual Liberation (or CML) called the encampment a “liberated zone” meant to further pressure Cornell to divest from what they call the university’s complicity in genocide in Gaza. Malak, a fourth year…
Youth Farm Project Celebrates Earth Week with Greta Garrison of the Youth Radio Project
Youth Farm Project participants Stella Sapp-Dietrich and Etienne Exantus and Ray Hage Assistant Director of Cornell’s Science & Technology Entry Program (STEP) with Greta Garrison of the Youth Radio Project on WRFI.
Local News: April 24, 2024
Pilot Program in Tompkins Adds Emergency Responders- Emergency response times in Tompkins County should be getting shorter. State Senator Lea Webb was in Ithaca Tuesday to announce additional state funding for the county’s Rapid Medical Response program. The two-year pilot program operates three emergency response vehicles and employs nine EMTs. According to Webb, emergency response…
Local News: April 23, 2024
Cornell Undergrad Vote Supports Gaza Ceasefire, Divestment- Last week Cornell undergraduate voted in a referendum polling their views on a ceasefire in Gaza and divestment from 10 military contractors supplying Israel. According to the Cornell Sun, nearly 50% of eligible students voted. And votes for a ceasefire and divestment outweighed those against by nearly two…
Local News: April 22, 2024
Public Hearing on ICSD Budget Announced- Ithaca City School District has announced a public hearing on its proposed 2024-2025 operating budget. The meeting will take place May 14 at 5:30 p.m. at York Hall at Ithaca High School. Last week we reported on a 5-hour meeting during which the board heard from taxpayers concerned with…
WRFI-Meeting Minutes-March 2024
WRFI Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday, March 12th, 2024 In Attendance: -Peter Bakija -Corinne Shanahan -Amie Herman -Joe Romano -Carlos Gutierrez -Talaya Centeno -Mike Cook -Robin Elliott -John Young -Felix Teitelbaum Not in attendance: -Joseph Haefeli -Fred Balfour Call to Order at 6:07 pm. Agenda Items: Board Reflections: Mike asks questions as a new…
CREATIVES: New Voices Literary Festival Preview with Raul Palma [AUDIO]
Listen to author Raul Palma in conversation with student organizers April Morales, Emily Trage, Riley Rhoder and Professor Jacob White. The 2024 New Voices Festival runs from April 24-26 at Ithaca College and in your community.
Local News: April 19, 2024
Case Against Day Hall Protestors Conditionally Dismissed A case against Cornell student and staff protestors will likely be dismissed. Twenty-four members of the Coalition for Mutual Liberation who staged a sit in at Day Hall in March appeared before Judge Seth Peacock Wednesday. The charges will be dropped provided the defendants don’t commit further violations…
Local News: April 17, 2024
ICSD Board Cuts Proposed Budget Ahead of May 21 Vote The Ithaca City School Board has made cuts to their proposed budget. According to the Ithaca Times, the adjustment was made after a 5-hour meeting with the public. Board members heard from a range of homeowners who spoke to the effect of rising taxes on…
Tune in, Turn on, and Take Part! Join Us for WRFI’s Spring “Fun” Drive and Be Part of this Community-Powered Radio Revolution!
What does community radio mean to you? We think this commercial-free, free-form, independent station helps make our listeners lives-and life in our communities-just a little better. We strive to make programing that opens ears, opens hearts, and leads us to ask important questions about our world. Even if it’s just to ask yourself, “What in…