Scenic Hudson’s Statement on Danskammer Energy’s Decision to Abandon Plans for a Gas-Fired Power Plant in the Hudson Valley
Contact: Stephen Ballentine: 347-886-4386; sballentine@scenichudson.org
In the wake of Danskammer Energy’s announcement that it will abandon its effort to build a gas-fired power plant on the banks of the Hudson River in the Town of Newburgh, NY, Ned Sullivan, President of Scenic Hudson said, “This is a major victory for clean air in the Hudson Valley and the Northeast, and will head off the emission of almost 2 million tons of carbon per year. We salute and thank Governor Kathy Hochul for taking a stand to defend the nation-leading Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. We commend residents and our environmental partners in the region, who joined with Scenic Hudson in opposing the permitting of the project.”
In 2021, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation denied air permits required for the project based on the project’s incompatibility with the CLCPA, which mandates emissions reductions and the transition to renewable energy to stem climate change. Danskammer challenged the DEC decision in state court, but it was upheld in a ruling that affirmed DEC’s authority to deny the permits as inconsistent with the clean energy goals in the CLCPA. On June 17, Danskammer formally ended its quest for state approval of the facility.
Enacted in 2019, New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act mandates a transition to a clean energy power system that will head off climate change while providing jobs, creating healthier communities, and ensuring environmental justice for all. It mandates reducing economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 and 85% by 2050 from 1990 levels. The law also requires New York to achieve 100% zero-emission electricity by 2040.
“This is truly a defining moment, and we are proud to stand alongside the Governor and the Department of Environmental Conservation in defending their decision to deny Danskammer’s proposed expansion,” said Pete Lopez, Executive Director for Science, Policy and Advocacy at Scenic Hudson. “The company’s permit withdrawal acknowledges that our communities embrace the clean energy future promised by the groundbreaking CLCPA. The people have spoken: The time has come to make fossil fuel energy expansion a thing of the past.”
Stephen Ballentine, Scenic Hudson’s Director of Environmental Advocacy and Public Policy said, “This decision is not just a victory for people throughout the Hudson Valley who opposed Danskammer; it is a victory for the climate, for environmental justice, and for the power of the CLCPA. We applaud the many organizations and individuals who came together under the Stop Danskammer Coalition coalition to achieve this environmental milestone.”
