Gov. Cuomo Joins International Climate Coalition as Trump Rolls Back Life Saving Pollution Protections

Albany, NY-- Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today that New York will join the Powering Past Coal Alliance, an international group of governments, businesses and organizations dedicating itself to ending the use of coal-fired power. Today’s announcement comes as former coal lobbyist and acting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler released an unlawfully weak carbon pollution policy that pales in comparison to the Obama Administration’s ambitious policy to work with states to dramatically reduce carbon pollution, promote economic and environmental justice, protect public health, and remove barriers to create a national clean energy economy.

While the federal government moves backwards on climate and pollution protections, New York has made strides in tackling the climate crisis. Governor Cuomo and his administration set a target to reduce climate pollution 40 percent across all sectors by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050, strengthened the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, banned fracking, ensured 50 percent of New York’s electricity comes from renewables by 2030, set ambitious energy efficiency and offshore wind targets and committed to putting 850,000 zero emissions vehicles on the road by 2025 all while building 10,000 new charging stations across New York by 2021.

In his 2016 State of the State Address, Governor Cuomo pledged to “eliminate all use of coal in New York State by 2020” and earlier this summer, the Governor and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released a proposal to phase out the state’s dirtiest and most inefficient power plants. These new power plant pollution protections would put the first-ever limits on climate pollution from existing power plants and, in the absence of any federal leadership, will set an important precedent for other states.  

In response, Lisa Dix, New York Senior Representative of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign released the following statement:  

“In the face of the Trump administration’s pure disregard for public heath and his ignorance about climate change, Governor Cuomo has shown time and again that he is committed to reducing carbon emissions while focusing on clean energy job creation that will make New York a 21st century economic powerhouse. Now is the time for New York to double down on investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency programs that will create family wage jobs and fair labor standards. We applaud Governor Cuomo for his national and international leadership on climate issues as he brings New York into the Powering Past Coal Alliance and also urge him to move quickly on the power plant pollution protections that will finally end coal-fired power in the state. ”