NY Pulls The Plug On Gas-Powered Plant Proposal In Astoria

ASTORIA, QUEENS — New York State is pulling the plug on a controversial power plant.

The state's Department of Environmental Conservation, or NYSDEC, announced on Wednesday that it will reject NRG Energy's proposal to replace a 50-year-old turbine at its fossil fueled peaker plant in Astoria with a natural gas-fired generator. Advocates and elected officials have long argued that the plant should instead be replaced with a renewable energy source.

"Our review determined the proposed project does not demonstrate compliance with the requirements of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA)" said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos, alluding to the state's law that mandates carbon emission reductions over the next few decades.

"The proposed project would be inconsistent with or would interfere with the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits established in the Climate Act," he added in the statement rejecting NRG's proposal.

This decision comes after a three-months-long public process; in July the DEC asked New Yorkers to weigh in on NRG's plan in a series of public hearings and written letters, which elicited an onslaught of mostly negative comments.

The plant's critics argued that NRG's proposed plant would worsen locals' health and climate change, and fails to comply with the CLCPA.

NRG, by contrast, maintained throughout that its CLCPA-compliant, gas-fired plant was urgently needed in order to reduce greenhouse gases, improve grid reliability, and boost the economy; points that NRG's vice president of development, Tom Atkins, affirmed in a written statement in respond to the state's decision.

“It’s unfortunate that New York is turning down an opportunity to dramatically reduce pollution and strengthen reliable power for millions of New Yorkers at such a critical time," he said.

The energy company did not respond to Patch's request for comment as to what would happen to the test piles and temporary office that it were already in the works.

In Sept. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced her plan to bring renewable energy to Astoria's fossil fuel plant, which some advocates took as a signal that she and the DEC would choose to pull the plug on NRG's plan.

NRG did not immediately respond to Patch's request for comment.

“For too long, the people of western Queens have borne the brunt of the consequences of being home to far too many of New York’s pollution-belching power plants,” said U.S. Senator Schumer, who tweeted about the DEC's plan to reject NRG's proposal shortly before the agency issued a statement on Wednesday.

“A rebuilt NRG plant would have kept a fossil fuel-dependent power plant in Astoria for years to come, directly undermining the urgently needed goals laid out in New York’s groundbreaking climate law, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. A law I was proud to champion. I am so proud to have fought alongside great local leaders and activists to stop this pollution-spewing plant," he said.

Dozens of other advocates and elected officials shared words of excitement and gratitude in response to the state's decision, including New York State Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris, whose district encompasses Astoria.

“Our community drew a line in the sand against new fossil fuel infrastructure and won. Let this be a statement of what our policy should be as we fight the ravages of the climate crisis. No more fossil fuel plants should get approved, period!" he said.