STATEMENT FROM THE UPGRADE NY COLLABORATION ON THE NEW YORK STATE BUDGET’S EFFORTS TO DECARBONIZE STATE BUILDINGS AND CREATE UNION JOBS
January 13, 2023 — In response to the New York State budget unveiled today, the UpgradeNY collaboration issued the following statement:
“We thank the New York State legislature and Governor Kathy Hochul for taking an important first step to achieve zero onsite emissions and create thermal energy networks at New York’s state-owned campuses and facilities.
The budget will fund the replacement of two fossil-fueled chiller plants at the State University at Albany with a thermal energy system, reducing the campus’s greenhouse gas emissions by 16% and delivering reliable, zero-emissions cooling year-round. Provisions in the budget also instruct the New York Power Authority to create ‘decarbonization action plans’ for 15 thermal energy networks on public campuses and facilities with labor standards to ensure they will be built with good union jobs. The Administration and the Legislature must ensure that at least 40 percent of the investments and benefits including pre-apprenticeships, wraparound services and direct entry recruitment into the union workforce should be directed to disadvantaged communities defined under New York’s Climate law.
These thermal energy networks will build on the 17 utility-led pilot projects currently underway thanks to the Utility Thermal Energy Networks and Jobs Act passed last year. These projects demonstrate a true just transition for workers in New York’s clean energy economy. We are especially grateful for Senator Michelle Hinchey and Assemblymember John McDonald, our champions in getting this issue into the budget discussion.
We call on the Governor, state leaders, and the New York Power Authority to lead by example and move forward with the 15 ‘decarbonization action plans’ for thermal energy networks as soon as possible while continuing to implement more thermal energy networks and decarbonization efforts in the immediate future across the state.
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About UpgradeNY: The UpgradeNY collaboration works together to advocate for affordable solutions to decarbonize New York’s buildings while creating a strong foundation for good-paying union jobs. In 2022, the #UpgradeNY collaboration successfully led the campaign to pass the Utility Thermal Energy Networks and Jobs Act, which allowed for the creation of utility-scale infrastructure projects that connect multiple buildings in a shared thermal network. This legislation will allow entire neighborhoods and communities to access affordable clean heating and cooling at a time, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, and provide a just transition for workers. Members include Building Decarbonization Coalition, New York League of Conservation Voters, The New York State AFL-CIO, ALIGN, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Building Trades Council of Greater New York, Sierra Club’s Atlantic Chapter and Alliance for a Green Economy (AGREE). Learn more at upgradeny.org.
