Environmentalists, trade unionists, community activists, business owners and home owners interested in affordable, renewable energy all came together to discuss Governor Cuomo’s plan to reduce green house emissions by 80% by 2050, making their voices heard for concern that they do not get steamrolled in the unveiling of the governor’s plan and Local 3’s voice was loudest.
A Public Service Commission hearing was held on October 27, 2015 to inform attendees of Governor Cuomo’s ambitious energy agenda, Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) for New York State and offer a chance to be heard publicly in protest or favor of the plan. Humberto Restrepo, Political Affairs Liaison for the Joint Industry Board, was first to the microphone in the open forum session demonstrating Local 3’s aggressive leadership in all energy and electrical matters and especially one as important as the Governor’s proposal which vows to change the electrical infrastructure of New York well into the next generation.
Brother Restrepo expressed on behalf of Local 3 and the JIB, the acknowledgement of a need for investing in clean energy innovation and improving consumer choice and affordability in building sustainable green energy sources such as wind turbine or solar power grids, but stated on record that there must be room in the Governor’s initiative to provide for good paying, living wage union jobs for all involved.
Restrepo was joined in NYU School of Law’s Vanderbilt Hall by Local 3 Safety Director Robert McCormick, members of Local 3’s Think Tank and many political directors from the various affiliated clubs of Local 3 all who spoke at the microphone to show IBEW’s history and commitment to building green in the State of New York.
Local 3 members urged the Commission to make New York a leader in renewable energy by using the best-trained and most professional energy workforce to get the job done, which has always been the mission of the IBEW. They recognized the need for reducing carbon gases that contribute to climate change and supported the REV hearings in having a significant benefit in addressing long-term carbon emission reduction but stressed the opportunity for Governor Cuomo to stand up and be a friend of labor in New York and set the precedent that this new work will be done using union labor.
To learn more about the REV initiative and its path to regulatory changes that will promote more efficient use of energy resources such as wind and solar, micro grids and other on-site power supplies and storage visit their website at http://www.dps.ny.gov.
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