Wind and sun. Source: Paul B. (CC BY 2.0)
In January, the U.S. Federal government unveiled its plans for making 90 percent of their total offshore acreage available to gas and oil drilling. In spite of this, and because the Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas program puts New York state's population living along the tidal coastline, their economy, and ocean resources at risk, a formal request for New York exclusion of the program has recently been announced (on March 9th).
Furthermore, New York’s governor did not limit his announcement rejecting the offshore drilling program. In fact he went further, demonstrating his leadership to address climate change, by announcing a $1.4 billion investment in clean energy projects. This represents, as stated by NYSERDA’s press release , the “single largest commitment to renewable energy by a state in U.S. history”.
The state’s investment in 26 large-scale renewable energy projects goes in hand with New York’s Clean Energy Standard goals to obtain 50% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030. The 26 award recipients include 22 solar farms, three wind farms, and one hydroelectric project).
Meanwhile, their neighboring State of Massachusetts does not want to be left behind, as fifty lawmakers are willing to push the most ambitious clean energy bill of the U.S. to date! The bill seeks to transition 100% of their energy sources from clean energy such as solar and wind by the end of 2035.