Gov. Andrew Cuomo late last month amended his state-budget proposal to let him ram through approval of wind and solar “farms” over local objections.
It’s a classic Cuomo power grab — outrageous both on the merits and in how he aims to pull it off.
As Robert Bryce has noted in The Post, many upstate and Long Island communities have been fighting to stop proposed solar- and (especially) wind-power plants that residents fear would scar or otherwise harm their communities.
But Cuomo is committed to the insane goal of having 70 percent of New York’s energy come from renewable sources by 2030.
So he’s looking to cut the public out of the plant-approval process, which now requires an OK by a board that includes two local representatives.
His proposal would also allow the fast-tracking of “renewable” projects, further limiting the public’s ability to fight back before, say, a massive number of hideous wind turbines have been erected in a community.
Whatever the merits, this has nothing to do with the state budget; the gov aims to get it done in the budget simply to avoid real public debate. And by announcing it just weeks before the budget must pass, he gave critics even less time to try stopping it.
As Gerry Geist, director of the state Association of Towns, told the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, Cuomo’s move would let him ignore local zoning laws and “you ought to make the case [publicly] if you’re going to go in that direction.”
Republican legislators will fight this, but they’re the minority in the Assembly and Senate.
Count this as yet another test of whether “moderate” Democratic lawmakers from Long Island and the Hudson Valley are willing to sell out their constituents, as they did with last year’s no-bail law.
Read more at NY Post
This seems to have a familiar “ring” with the situation in Ontario, Canada a couple years back. The Province stepped in and mandated renewables (primarily wind) and the results over a few years were not too successful on a number of levels. This situation looks very analogous to that largely failed initiative…
Cuomo is using Kathleen Wynne’s play book. Municipal governments were denied their rights to challenge the construction of green energy projects. KW and her Liberal party were eradicated by the voters. The only thing missing was the proverbial oak stake.
Cuomo is another nit-wit he pushes through Bird maiming Wind Turbines and Solar Panels and the idiot Greens still support these things Yes Andrew Cuomo is a idiot electing this Dip-Wad was a mistake just like it is a mistake to ever elect a Liberal Democrat
These stupid suckers who vote democrats over and over got what they deserve. Hope Cuomo, with his insane green initiatives, will destroy their little liberal bubble communities. Then they might learn something.
Ah yes, beloved Gov. Cuomo. Completely out of control. The US Constitution, the NY State Constitution, local laws – they mean nothing – “I’m ‘The Man'”. I would expect land confiscations in the near future – “It’s for the good of the people.”
His letter last year to insurance companies “suggesting” that they no longer do any business with the National Rifle Association comes close to being a Bill of Attainder, specifically denied in the US Constitution.
What was that about “Absolute Power”??
As an aside: about 30 minutes ago, South Australia was paying Victoria $1,000 per MW to take their excess electricity. About 15 hours earlier, they were buying power from Victoria at $14,700 per MW. Buy high and sell low – and the public in SA pays for that. Paying for wind power in New York? Starbucks might go out of business for lack of customers.
Just remember this is the same jerk who said Pro-Life and Conservatives was not welcome Lets see him lose all those Summer Tourists