DEC and NYSERDA Announce Sept. 15 Labor Stakeholder Roundtable on Cap-and-Invest Program to Reduce Climate Pollution
Roundtable Advances New York State's Efforts to Meet Just Transition Targets under Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) today announced a roundtable with labor stakeholders to advance the development of the State's Cap-and-Invest Program to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change. The Cap-and-Invest Program was recommended in the Climate Action Council's final Scoping Plan and proposed in Governor Kathy Hochul's 2023 State of the State Address. DEC and NYSERDA are developing the program to ensure emission reductions are achieved in an equitable manner.
DEC Commissioner and Climate Action Council Co-Chair Basil Seggos said, "In developing the state's Cap-and-Invest Program, New York is committed to providing stakeholders with opportunities to help inform the program elements to reduce pollution, combat climate change, and create green jobs in communities statewide. This upcoming roundtable with stakeholders from labor will focus on the importance of a just transition to encourage input on priorities and bolster the State's ongoing efforts to create a cleaner, equitable, and healthier environment."
NYSERDA President and CEO and Climate Action Council Co-Chair Doreen M. Harris said, "This stakeholder roundtable will provide more perspective on how we can design a Cap-and-Invest Program that addresses labor and the important aspects of a just transition that must be considered as the State moves ahead with its clean energy agenda. I look forward to a robust discussion as we focus, not only on reducing emissions in New York, but driving a green economy and supporting New York's workforce so that our clean energy transition benefits all New Yorkers."
New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, "Addressing the pressing challenges of our time requires a united front. By working collaboratively to advance the Cap-and-Invest Program, we are taking a significant step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change, while ensuring that the benefits of these efforts are distributed equitably across our state."
The stakeholder roundtable scheduled for Sept. 15, 2023, will offer engagement with various stakeholders regarding the development of the program around labor and the clean energy workforce of the future. This is an opportunity for participants to provide feedback on program design features and areas of interest to help support existing workers and communities, create job pathways, and identify opportunities for New York's future workforce.
This upcoming discussion demonstrates the importance of labor in building the workforce of the clean energy transition and will build off of the labor provisions featured in the Enacted FY 2023-24 State Budget, the Climate Action Council's Scoping Plan recommendations, and the Council's Just Transition Working Group. The Working Group issued a Jobs Study (PDF) that found that job increases are anticipated in every corner of the State, totaling more than 200,000 by 2030.
An overview presentation by DEC, NYSERDA, and DOL experts will be followed by a panel discussion with State officials and labor stakeholders and a question-and-answer session, will be part of the roundtable. All stakeholder input will be considered by State staff as part of the development of the Cap-and-Invest Program. A second round of pre-proposal stakeholder outreach will be held later this year.
The Labor Roundtable is scheduled from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15, and will be live-streamed, with the recording posted online as soon as practicable. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available at the Cap-and-Invest website (leaves DEC website).
For more information about New York's climate efforts, visit the Climate Act website (leaves DEC website).
New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan
New York State's nation-leading climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35%, with a goal of 40%, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation's most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70% renewable energy generation by 2030, and economywide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York's unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $35 billion in 120 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 165,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector in 2021 and over 3,000% growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York's climate action with nearly 400 registered and more than 100 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State's largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the state to help target air pollution and combat climate change.
