FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 28, 2014 Contact:  ekelley1@mac.com or 212-595-8892

PANEL TO INFORM PUBLIC OF PROPOSED OFFSHORE ENERGY PROJECTS,

WILL HIGHLIGHT THE ENERGY-POLICY CROSSROADS FACED BY GOVERNOR CUOMO

(New York, NY) A free public forum will be held on Thursday January 30^th to alert citizens to a proposed LNG (liquefied natural gas) tanker port off Long Island, a project that can be vetoed by Governor Andrew Cuomo at any time in the next few months while it is under review by the United States Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration.

The event is sponsored by United for Action along with 19 environmental and community grassroots organizations as well as five local elected officials.  It will be held at Rutgers Presbyterian Church, 236 West 73^rd Street in Manhattan at 6:30 pm.

Sean Dixon, Coastal Policy Attorney at Clean Ocean Action, will detail how the port would enable gas from regional shale gas drilling operations to be exported to other countries, where prices are often three to four times higher than domestic prices.  “Whether an import or export facility, it’s hard to imagine a more irresponsible project that violates the public trust.  LNG is nearly as polluting as coal, it is much more expensive, and dangerous.  This reckless proposal is at the gateway to New York/New Jersey putting our metropolitan region at grave risk from numerous threats,” says Dixon.  “Governor Cuomo should veto offshore LNG, as Governor Christie has done in 2012,” he adds.

Following Mr. Dixon’s presentation will be David Alicea, Sierra Club Beyond Coal Organizer, who will describe plans that have been in the works for an offshore wind farm in the same area as the proposed LNG port.  “Superstorm Sandy showed us the devastation rising seas and super charged storms can have on our communities. Transitioning to clean energy will keep our families safer by limiting dangerous carbon pollution and helping us avoid more climate-fueled disasters like Sandy,” states Alicea. “Governor Cuomo must pave the way to meet our state’s renewable energy commitments by rejecting outdated fossil fuels and making a strong enforceable commitment on wind energy.”

Mr. Alicea will be followed by Albert Appleton, former Commissioner of the N.Y.C. Department of Environmental Protection, and an environmental and infrastructure consultant and a professor at The Cooper Union.  Mr. Appleton will discuss how Governor Cuomo’s energy policy direction will be reflected by his actions with regard to the LNG port.  Appleton asserts, “When it comes to the proposed LNG port off Jones Beach, once again New York is faced with a choice to support a politically dug in but historically obsolete fossil fuel economy, at very high environmental and financial cost to the public, or to take those resources and turn away from the past and commit to a new, sustainable future by investing them in renewable energy.  The Cuomo Administration has taken many important steps towards that future, but until it ceases dividing its efforts between fossil fuel and renewable energy, turns its back on the fossil fuel economy of yesterday and commits to a renewable energy future, New York State will not be a true energy leader and will lose the economic, social and environmental benefits of being one.”

New York is at an energy crossroads, and the public has a chance to influence the path ahead.

List of Cosponsors:

Organizations: 350NYC, Brooklyn Food Coalition, Carbon Squeeze, Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy, Clean Ocean Action, Coalition Against the Rockaway Pipeline (CARP), Food & Water Watch, Frack Action, Greater NYC for Change, Hell’s Kitchen for Action, NYC Coalition of Block and Community Leaders, NYC Friends of Clearwater, Occupy The Pipeline, Sane Energy Project, Sierra Club, Three Parks Independent Democrats, West 75^th Street Block Association, West 80s Neighborhood Association, Westchester for Change, and others.

Elected Officials: Gale A. Brewer, Manhattan Borough President; Brad Hoylman, New York State Senator; Corey Johnson, New York City Council Member; Linda B. Rosenthal, New York State Assembly Member; Deborah J. Glick, New York State Assembly Member