Controversial Power Plant Proposal Opens For Public Comment

ASTORIA, QUEENS — The public can now comment on a controversial proposal to overhaul a power plant in Astoria.

NRG Energy, one of the largest fossil fuel companies in the country, is seeking state approval to replace the 50-year-old turbine at its fossil fueled peaker plant in Astoria with a new natural gas-fired generator. This week, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued draft permits for the plans, meaning that people can now publicly comment on them.

Based on the agency's initial review, DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said NRG Energy's proposal would negatively impact the state's climate ambitious goals — the most common critique of the project's opponents — but a final determination won't be made for several months, during which time the public has a chance to weigh in.

The DEC wants the public to comment on the permits as part of its "rigorous and transparent review," tweeted Seggo, asking that people frame their comments in terms of how the proposal will impact the state and city's climate goals.

The No Astoria NRG Plant Coalition told the Queens Eagle that they “are heartened to see the DEC question how a dirty fracked gas power plant can comply with state climate law. Any new fracked gas project being proposed or approved in 2021, when we have viable alternatives… is a dangerous exercise in climate denial."

The group is among a growing list of politicians — recently including the Mayor— and community members oppose NRG's peaker plant proposal on the basis that the plants would maintain the city's dependence on fossil fuels, since they would run on fracked gas.

Although NRG says its proposed update would significantly reduce gas emissions, opponents — now including the Mayor — argue that the plant should be powered by renewable energy sources, especially since the state has an ambitious goal to use 100 percent clean power by 2040.

Many other opponents believe that NRG's proposal will maintain the city's dependence on fossil fuels.

In March, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and eight members of New York's congressional delegation, including Grace Meng of Queens, wrote a letter to the Governor outlining their opposition to the replacement project in Astoria, and asking him to invest in green infrastructure instead of gas-power at the power plant.

In addition to setting the city back in their fight against climate change the lawmakers noted that "a gas-fired power plant would further degrade air quality in neighborhoods already ridden with toxic fossil fuel power plants and elevated levels of asthma" alluding to how burning fossil fuels disproportionately affects lower income communities.

Almost all of the peaker plants operating in New York City are located in historically low-income communities and communities of color, reported Gothamist.

Astoria's former City Council Member Costa Constantides told Gothamist that the peaker plants "devastate" Black and brown communities, pointing out higher than average asthma rates among those residents who live in the vicinity of these plants.

Constantinides, who up until recently chaired the councils' Committee on Environmental Protection spent his last day in office alongside other advocacy groups and local politicians who oppose the project.

One of those politicians is State Assembly Member Zohran K. Mamdani, who represents the 36th district of Astoria and Long Island City. "We deserve clean air, plentiful jobs, and a promise for a greener future — and these dirty energy plants don't provide that," he told Patch of NRG's proposal.

But according to a statement by NRG spokesperson Dave Schrader, the peaker plant's upgrade to natural gas is "an important step in securing an affordable and reliable future electric system for New York City.”

He noted that the need for "reliable power" was highlighted by recent storms, and that "modernizing" the peaker plant would ensure "that schools, hospitals, and homes are powered more efficiently and with dramatically lower emissions.”

“NRG looks forward to receiving input during the public comment period and working with the DEC to ensure the Project is consistent with New York State’s aggressive climate goals,” he stated.

By contrast, Food & Water Watch Senior New York Organizer Eric Weltman told the Queens Eagle that he thinks the public comments "will demonstrate the tremendous depth and breadth of New Yorkers’ opposition.”

Public comment on the project must be submitted to comment.nrgastoriagas@dec.ny.gov by August 29.