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Long Island Environmentalists Call for Better Energy Plan

Posted on: Friday, 12 August 2005, 21:00 CDT

Several Long Island environmental advocacy groups are crying out for a more earth-friendly energy plan for Long Island.

It's time for the Island's key energy players to stop passing the buck and come up with some concrete solutions and firm commitments on how to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, said Gordian Raacke, executive director of Renewable Energy Long Island, in a press release.

The groups, which include Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Environmental Advocates of New York, Long Island Neighborhood Network, Natural Resources Defense Council, New York Public Interest Research Group and RELI, want energy companies to:

* Meet annual growth in consumer energy demand through energy- efficiency and conservation programs for the next five years.

* Supply at least 8 percent of consumer energy with renewable energy sources within ten years.

* Commit 25 percent of outreach and advertising spending to a meaningful five-year public education campaign, highlighting the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel dependence.

* Replace or re-power Long Island's antiquated power generators within ten years.

It is time for Long Island to come together and begin setting real measurable goals to improve energy efficiency and increase use of renewable energy sources, said Neal Lewis, executive director of LINN.

Long Island Power Authority does offer a Green Choice program. With that plan, consumers can purchase energy from renewable sources such as wind or biomass fuels to be fed to the state's power grid. Consumers receive a credit for the energy.

To view the Environmental Energy Agenda Long Island 2005, visit www.renewableenergylongisland/agenda2005.pdf.

Source: Long Island Business News

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