Brooklyn, NY — Today, New York City Council Member Costa Constantinides held a press conference in Astoria ahead of introducing a bill that would mandate a plan to shut down fossil fuel power plants in New York City and replace them with safer renewable energy sources that use battery storage. 350.org joined Councillor Constantinides and groups from across New York City in support of the bill.
On today’s announcement, Cata Romo, Fossil Free New York Organizer with 350.org, offered the following:
“Planning for the shutdown of fossil fuel plants in New York City is a crucial step toward building a fossil free New York and ending our reliance on dirty oil and gas. The explosion near Astoria’s oil and gas plant, and last week’s gas main burst in Corona, are the latest reminders that there’s no such thing as a safe fossil fuel project. We thank Councillor Constantinides for his bold climate leadership, and urge all elected officials — including Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio — to take note. In 2019, real action on the climate means no fossil fuel projects and mass investment in 100% renewables at scale with the crisis.”
Patrick Houston with New York Communities for Change (NYCC), added:
“New York got a glowing blue wake up call. It’s time to plan the shutdown of fossil fuel plants, which are dangerous and fuel the climate crisis. We’ll work to pass Councilmember Constantinides’ new legislation.”
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Contact: Lindsay Meiman, lindsay@350.org, (347) 460-9082