Letter to the PSC from Citizens Campaign for the Environment

April 27, 2020

Honorable Anthony Belsito
Administrative Law Judge
New York State Department of Public Service
Three Empire Plaza Albany,
New York 12233-1350

Re: Case 18-T-0604 – Application of Deepwater Wind South Fork, LLC for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need for the Construction of Approximately 3.5 Miles (3.1 Nautical Miles) (138 kilovolt [kV]) of Submarine Export Cable from the New York State Territorial Waters Boundary to the South Shore of the Town of East Hampton in Suffolk County and Approximately 4.1 Miles (138 kV) of Terrestrial Export Cable from the South Shore of the Town of East Hampton to an Interconnection Facility with an Interconnection Cable Connecting to the Existing East Hampton Substation, in the Town of East Hampton in Suffolk County

Dear Judge Belsito:

Climate Jobs NY (CJNY) is a broad and growing statewide coalition of labor unions representing more than 2.6 million working New Yorkers. Our mission is to advocate for a clean energy economy at the scale climate science demands, create good union jobs, and support more equitable communities and a more resilient New York.

I am writing regarding the Citizens for the Preservation of Wainscott’s request for delays in this proceeding. We recognize that the Court’s April 8, 2020 scheduling order reflects the unusual circumstances arising from the Covid-19 virus. However, we strongly oppose additional delays or an indefinite suspension of the litigation schedule. We believe that any further delays would not strengthen the administrative process and only serve to delay the project.

Wind power is a central component of the clean energy economy of the future, and Long Island is poised to play a central role in the development of offshore wind (OSW) power in New York State. Governor Cuomo has set an unprecedented goal of 9,000 megawatts of electricity from OSW by the year 2035, New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) has mandated that 70 percent of New York’s electricity generation come 2 from renewable energy by 2030, and at least three major OSW projects are to be sited off Long Island shores. These projects offer significant opportunity for economic development and the creation of a skilled green-economy workforce, and they will help establish a foothold for Long Island in what will be a major industry in the near future—all while playing an important role in combating climate change. The three currently awarded projects are projected to create more than 1,600 new jobs and generate $3.2 billion in private investment.

The South Fork Wind project is not only essential in meeting local demand for energy; it is also leading the way on OSW for Long Island and New York. It is the kind of project we need in a post Covid-19 economy. We urge that the project move forward without additional delays.

Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully submitted,

Jeff Vockrodt
Executive Director
Climate Jobs New York