- Pirozzolo Join Colleagues in Advocating for Sustainable Energy Policies
Editor’s note: We’ve covered in the past some of the ways in which solar energy is being used with great benefit around the world, in some cases generating on par with nuclear – at a much lower pollution and risk of severe environmental damage in case of failure (not just failure but also spent nuclear rods which are radioactive but not useful in the power plant past a certain amount of time must be disposed of). Conversely, wind power generates very little energy while at the same time requiring a great deal of precious and rare metals and minerals for their construction, making it even more of a loss in terms of power generation and sustainability. Wind only blows in general 35% of the time. Wind power also creates risks to wildlife such as bats and birds, who can’t see the rotating blades unless they are painted with an extra stripe, and thus accidentally fly through them. BP Fossella has expressed opposition to the proposed and rushed to license natural gas pipeline in the Hudson River, right next to Staten Island.
Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo (R, C-Staten Island) today joined members of the Assembly Republican Conference to deliver a blunt message: Albany’s energy mandates are failing working families and undermining the rights of Staten Islanders.
Since 2019, residential electricity prices in New York have risen 47.1 percent. Recent winter price spikes will soon push bills even higher. Pirozzolo pointed directly to the state’s sweeping mandates under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, arguing that the law has forced reliable power plants offline while gambling on energy sources that are not yet capable of meeting demand. Meanwhile, the New York Independent System Operator has warned of near-term grid reliability concerns.
The proposed legislative package includes income-based rebate checks of up to $400 for ratepayers, returning surplus funds from NYSERDA’s Climate Investment Account to utility customers, and requiring greater transparency from utilities when supply rates spike dramatically. Potentially $2.4 billion in ratepayer-collected funds could be returned directly to New Yorkers.
But Pirozzolo stressed that relief alone is not enough. He called for bringing energy plants back online, investing in new natural gas generation, expanding infrastructure, and rejecting what he described as Albany’s “command-and-control” energy policies, including the gas ban in new homes, the 100-foot rule restricting fossil fuel use near certain buildings, and the zero-emission school bus mandate.
“The CLCPA is a textbook example of top-down government overreach. It reflects an ideology that says bureaucrats know better than families how they should live. That’s not freedom, that’s government control. Staten Islanders believe in affordability, reliability, and the right to choose. I will not stand by while Democrats experiment with policies that drive up costs, limit energy options, and strip away those rights.” said Pirozzolo
See the Republican Conference’s Energy Agenda Here.
Banner Image: Fossil fuel power generation. Image Credit – Maxim Tolchinskiy
Assemlymember Sam Pirozzolo
Sam Pirozzolo is a native Staten Islander. He is a frequent contributor to the Staten Islander, and is well-known and loved by people on both the Right and Left, in his North Shore community. Sam brings people together, instead of dividing, by speaking common sense and analyzing our island's, and city's, issues, with intelligence and concern for all. Sam Pirozzolo was elected to the New York State Assembly on November 8, 2022. The 63rd Assembly District represents parts of Richmond County. Sam has successfully operated his family’s optical practice for 33 years. He is the past president of Community Education Council 31 where he served for seven years. Some of his most notable accomplishments include the creation of a Gifted and Talented program for middle school students, the recommendation for the NYC Department of Education to hire retired police officers as school resource officers, and the successful fight for the immediate cleanup of toxic PCBs leaking from the light fixtures in school classrooms. As an education advocate, Sam has participated in historic litigation that led to the return of more than $4 billion to New York public schools. He also fought to ensure that co-located charter schools receive the same capital funding as their host public schools. While serving in the Legislature, Sam will work to support law enforcement officers with proper funding, fix broken bail and parole policies, and help small businesses grow and thrive in a stronger, more resilient economy.