By James Whelan and Kyle Bragg
Even as we continue to grapple with Covid-19, we cannot
forget the ongoing environmental crisis caused by climate change that threatens
the lives of people in our city—and on our planet.
Tackling carbon emissions created by our energy sources is not just crucial, it’s urgent. The air pollution caused by these emissions exacerbates the same kinds of respiratory issues associated with Covid-19 and, like the disease, they disproportionately harm low-income communities of color.
Every day that passes without making significant changes to
how we get our power is another day we sacrifice the future health of our
fellow New Yorkers. Thankfully, our state has recently taken important steps to
plan for a future with cleaner air and greener energy. Our industry and labor
strongly support these priorities—for our workers and all New Yorkers.
The state’s ambitious proposal would enable New York City,
the largest consumer of power in the state, to get greater access to renewable
sources of energy. It will help put us on a realistic path to meet our goals to
get 70% of electricity from carbon-free sources in another decade, and go 100%
carbon-free by 2040.
This would be an energy sea-change. Currently, less than
one-third of our region’s electricity is generated by carbon-free sources,
because at the moment we don’t have the ability to either produce renewable
energy locally or the transmission and distribution get it into our buildings
where it is consumed.
The state’s plan tackles these issues head-on by encouraging the production of offshore wind and Upstate renewables that will come into New York City. It also smartly addresses the financial challenges of meeting our climate goals at a time that public dollars are harder to find by making it much easier for the state government to leverage private investments in these projects. That change alone could free up significant resources to further speed renewable energy production.
The reality is that most renewable power sources—such as offshore
wind—will have to be built outside the city. So, upgraded transmission
infrastructure is also essential. Thanks to a law we were proud to support, New
York is studying where and how new and improved transmission lines should be
built. That report must be completed as soon as possible so we can strengthen
the transmission system.
These reforms are needed to close New York City’s dirtiest
power plants, which burn oil and natural gas on the hottest days of the year,
spewing dangerous amounts of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide into largely
lower-income areas. They must continue to be prioritized.
And, as the state speeds up its work, the city can do more
too. Last year, the mayor and the Council punted a feasibility assessment on
closing the city’s dirty plants to the next mayor. With this new state policy
moving forward, that study should be expedited.
We in the real estate industry and labor are also committed
to doing our part. Collectively, our members are already proud to build,
operate, and work in many of the highest-efficiency buildings in the world.
Knowing that energy efficiency has a critical role to play to reach our shared
environmental goals, the industry is investing in green building infrastructure
so that less power is used overall.
New York’s real estate companies have already invested
substantially in energy efficiency, earning LEED Platinum and Gold status on
millions of square feet of property and pledging to do more.
Turning off dirty fossil fuel-burning plants in the city permanently will greatly improve the quality of life and long-term health outcomes for many of the city’s communities of color and low-income residents. The climate crisis grows more and more dire, and the challenge ahead is daunting.
But there is a clear path to a sustainable energy future in New York. These next few months are critical to the next few decades as the state resets its energy standards. We must get it right.
James Whelan is president of the Real Estate Board of New
York. Kyle Bragg is president of 32BJ.
