The New York Building Congress is pleased to testify on the report of the New York City Energy Policy Task Force, New York City Energy Policy: An Electricity Resource Roadmap, released by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg last month. This important report presents a comprehensive approach to the City’s energy situation, concluding that 2,600 MW of new electric generation is required by 2008 to ensure continued reliability, promote economic growth and address environmental issues.
The Building Congress endorses the task force report and applauds the efforts of its members to address such a complex subject with clarity and an appropriate sense of urgency. In recent years, our Energy Committee has called attention frequently to the need for increasing the City’s energy supply, augmenting transmission capacity, and expanding energy conservation measures. Our findings are completely consistent with the Energy Policy Task Force report. This consistency reinforces our conviction that the City of New York must heed this report’s recommendations.
In that regard, the Building Congress is encouraged by the report’s major recommendations for increasing investment in energy, supporting innovative financing, urging passage of Public Service Law Article X by the State Legislature, establishing a planning process to coordinate major infrastructure projects, and enhancing and expanding the City’s energy efficiency programs. What adds credibility to these recommendations is the unanimous support they have received from the diverse Task Force membership.
Moreover, it is also reassuring to see that working groups of the Task Force will immediately begin implementing the report’s action plan of twenty-eight specific recommendations. This immediate follow-up is essential.
The City’s design, construction and real estate community -- represented by almost 400 organizations among the Building Congress membership -- knows full-well how important reliable energy is to New York’s future. We cannot allow local opposition and narrow special interests to thwart implementation of the Energy Policy Task Force’s recommendations. Demand for electricity and other forms of energy continues to increase steadily in New York. We do not have any choice but to augment supply, regardless of how effective conservation and alternative energy measures may be. That is the essential message of this important report. We must have a sense of urgency on this subject.
Perhaps most importantly, the Task Force report lays out how vital energy is to New York City. The Building Congress commends the Bloomberg Administration for addressing this situation with timeliness and a longer-term horizon. It is of outmost importance that the report be heeded now and acted on promptly.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to testify. The Building Congress believes there are few topics more critical to New York City’s future than the provision of reliable energy resources.
