ALBANY - Governor David Paterson Thursday outlined the initial steps his administration will take to meet the growing demand for energy on Long Island and the New York City metropolitan region. He also made public his opposition to the Broadwater Liquefied Natural Gas project proposed for Long Island Sound. Governor Paterson made his remarks today to a bipartisan group of elected officials, energy industry representatives and environmental and civic leaders.

The Governor cited several concerns with the proposal:

• It would be the first time in the history of Long Island Sound that a section of open water this size was handed over to a private company to the exclusion of the public. Privatizing open water would be fundamentally wrong and serve as a dangerous precedent for industrializing a body of water that people have spent years and millions of dollars trying to clean up.
• The facility and associated pipeline and tankers would disrupt commercial and recreational fishing – disrupting a way of life on the Sound and potentially putting families out of business.
• The project does not guarantee low-cost gas to Long Island.
• The project is not needed in the Sound – other alternatives exist. The Governor believes the State can both meet its energy demands and preserve one of New York State’s most important natural and economic resources. It does not have to be one or the other.

The Governor went on to outline a set of initial steps he would be taking to develop comprehensive alternatives:

• State Energy Planning Board Executive Order: To immediately start planning for the future, the Governor announced an Executive Order to establish a State Energy Planning Board charged with preparing a State Energy Plan. The Board will consist of representatives from the major energy, environmental, economic and transportation agencies and will be headed by Deputy Secretary for Energy Paul DeCotis. The State’s energy planning statute expired in 2003 and the State has not had an Energy Plan since, despite the advances in technology, science and the reality of global warming.
• Efficiency Initiatives: To reduce the demand for energy, the Governor has directed the State’s two major power authorities to aggressively pursue energy conservation. To that end, he announced that the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) is preparing a $1 billion, 10-year “Efficiency Long Island” initiative to reduce electricity demand on Long Island. He also announced that the New York Power Authority has committed to almost doubling its conservation budget to $1.4 billion through 2015 to reduce electricity use by government buildings and schools throughout the State. The Governor also announced that his administration will be exploring how to integrate natural gas efficiency measures into its overall efforts to reduce electricity demand 15 percent below projected levels by 2015.
• Increasing Supply: The Governor will begin aggressively pursuing increased gas pipeline capacity to Long Island and the downstate region, as well as examining alternative natural gas proposals, including LNG. He also announced that LIPA will be issuing an RFP for a major source of solar power for Long Island. As Lieutenant Governor, Governor Paterson chaired the State Renewable Energy Task Force and this RFP was one of its recommendations.