NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Todd Stebbins, NYPIRG, 631-673-5536 or Cell: 631-431-3703
Gordian Raacke, CAP, 631-537-8282 516-313-6611 (cell)
Tuesday, October 1, 2002 - For Immediate Release

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY ALLIANCE (SEA) RELEASES DRAFT OF
FIRST EVER CITIZENS ENERGY PLAN FOR L.I.

Innovative energy plan provides recommendations for Long Island’s energy future based on efficiency, conservation, renewables and clean generation

The Sustainable Energy Alliance of Long Island released its Draft Citizens Energy Plan today as its contribution for the much-needed energy plan currently lacking by the Long Island Power Authority.

“This Draft Citizens Energy Plan outlines public interest priorities and recommendations designed to allow Long Island to meet its future energy needs in a sustainable, affordable, reliable, and environmentally acceptable manner”, said Gordian Raacke, executive director of the Citizens Advisory Panel. “It is my hope that LIPA, as well as county and town governments will use this grassroots blueprint as a basis for future energy policy decisions.”

The release of the plan drew comments from experts in the field not only on Long Island but in Washington and across the country, including a former LIPA trustee, the founder of Earthday, a former PSC Chairman and a former member of Congress.

“The Long Island Citizens Energy Plan demonstrates the power of the people – concerned citizens coming together in an open, transparent and broadly participatory process to craft innovative, long-term and sustainable energy solutions. In short, the Plan represents a striking departure from business as usual, and offers insights that policy makers would do well to consider,” said Richard Ottinger ~ Dean Emeritus Pace University School of Law and former chairman of The U.S. House of Representatives Energy Conservation & Power Subcommittee.

The Draft Citizens Energy Plan is a 290-page document that came out of 18 months of research conducted by over 30 member groups of SEA. The plan recommends, among many other items, that LIPA work with KeySpan to re-power the existing old and dirty power plants on Long Island, which could increase existing capacity up to two-fold. The plan proposes that LIPA double its clean energy budget from $160 million to $320 million for the next five years and that LIPA commit to providing at least a 10 percent of Long Island’s energy needs with renewable energy sources by 2010.

SEA developed the Draft Plan in numerous open meetings held at public libraries and now plans to solicit broad public comment before finalizing the document. The Draft Plan is available on SEA’s website (www.seali.org) and will be available at public libraries and other locations throughout Long Island. SEA is planning to hold several public forums on the Draft CEP in Nassau and Suffolk Counties this Fall.

“The Long Island Citizens Energy Plan is the sort of smart, serious plan that Washington, DC seems incapable of producing these days. It offers hope that government need not be dominated by powerful vested interests and that Homo sapiens can still marshal the intellect and the will to solve this problem”, said Denis Hayes, President of the Bullitt Foundation and Founder of Earthday.

"This Citizens Energy Plan is the first real attempt to steer policy making towards sustainable energy planning here on Long Island", stated Kathleen Whitley, Program Manager for SEA. "It is testimony to the power of the people and what they can accomplish when government officials and our public utility fail to step up to the plate".

“Having a plan based on re-powering the existing facilities, and doubling our investments into clean energy while providing proper incentives for energy efficiency will benefit the environment, public health and ratepayers on Long Island,” said Todd Stebbins, Long Island Regional Coordinator of the New York Public Interest Research Group. “This is the type of document LIPA should be producing.”
"The Citizens Energy Plan addresses the urgent need for comprehensive, long term planning on Long Island", stated Ashok Gupta, Senior Staff Economist at Natural Resources Defense Council. "It stresses the importance of doing everything possible to help Long Islanders use energy more efficiently and to tap the renewable energy potential in the region. NRDC is proud to be a part of this initial effort and looks forward to working with all SEA member groups and LIPA towards the completion of a final plan."

"Long Islanders deserve better than the 'crisis management' energy service they have been getting", said Pace Law School Energy Project Executive Director Fred Zalcman. "The Citizen's Energy Plan is a common sense set of actions and policies that can be put in place today to meet Long Island's needs for a balanced, reliable and environmentally sound power supply well into the future".

"The energy policies proposed in the Long Island Citizens Energy Plan make sense not only for Long Island but for the nation as a whole. We must stop wasteful energy consumption practices, get off our addiction to polluting fossil and dangerous nuclear fuels, and begin the transition to clean and renewable energy sources today", stated Wenonah Hauter, Director, Public Citizen Critical Mass Energy & Environment Program. Public Citizen CMEEP has now also signed on as a CEP supporter.

"The importance of a long term energy plan for Long Island cannot be more obvious than now. The goals of a sound energy policy and protection of lung health converge with policies that maximize energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy resources. The Citizens Energy Plan takes into account all of these issues", said Marianne Zacharia Director of Education & Advocacy, American Lung Association of Nassau-Suffolk.

"This is a genuinely outstanding report, much the best of its kind that I have seen. The solutions are workable, the criticisms constructive and valid, the conclusions well documented", stated Peter Bradford, Visiting Lecturer in Energy Policy and Environmental Protection, Yale University; former chair, NY PSC.

The Draft Citizens Energy Plan is perhaps the first time citizens and ratepayers have joined together in a major partnership to write a comprehensive plan that reflects the public's desire for a truly sustainable energy future. The Sustainable Energy Alliance is a coalition of 33 civic, environmental, health and faith-based groups from across the Island and the Metro New York region.
“The advice ‘Think Global, Act Local’ is exemplified by the Long Island Citizens Energy Plan. Its energy conservation & efficiency proposals could not come at a more opportune time, when the United States’ reliance on energy, oil and nuclear power is threatened by terrorists and rogue states,” said Irving Like, an attorney and former LIPA Trustee.

The CEP consist of numerous chapters examining various energy related and contains three “CEP Priorities”, a multitude of policy recommendations, including forty specific recommendations for LIPA/KeySpan, New York State, as well as County and Town Governments. The plan was designed as a public policy blueprint rather than a quantitative forecast of energy demand. Printed copies of both the full draft as well as the 40-page Executive Summary are available. Copies can also be viewed and downloaded at www.seali.org and the public can submit comments via e-mail to info@seali.org.

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