Office of Borough President James P. Molinaro
Staten Island, New York
The climate is right for Fresh Kills wind farm
Borough President Molinaro encouraged by Mayor Bloomberg’s support for wind energy
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Borough President James P. Molinaro today praised Mayor Michael Bloomberg for his support of wind energy while challenging the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to be more supportive of the Fresh Kills wind farm proposal for Staten Island.
“Mayor Bloomberg has shown tremendous leadership on the need for clean energy,” said Molinaro. “Staten Island has a ‘shovel ready’ renewable energy project - a wind farm at Fresh Kills, which a study has proven to be feasible. All we need is the cooperation of various agencies to make this a reality.”
Molinaro’s comments come on the heels of Mayor Bloomberg’s trip to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. The Mayor recently toured a wind energy facility in Denmark and expressed his support for creating renewable sources of energy for New York.
Molinaro also noted that the Mayor’s positive statements on wind energy have generated a buzz among Staten Islanders. Supporters of the Fresh Kills wind farm have been calling the Borough President’s Office expressing their agreement with the Mayor that wind turbines are good for the environment, will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, create green jobs and are aesthetically pleasing to look at.
“The Mayor said that wind power is ‘a lot better than buying foreign oil and sending our money over to countries that don’t appreciate our values and in many cases are funding terrorists.’ The Mayor also dismissed the naysayers that complain about aesthetics, even going so far as to suggest that some people would consider wind turbines to be pieces of art,” said Molinaro. “The response from my constituents has been nothing but positive. The Mayor’s forward thinking on clean energy is one of the reasons why Staten Islanders have enthusiastically supported him.”
A 14-month, $500,000 study commissioned by Molinaro and underwritten by the New York State Energy Research and Development Agency and BQ Energy determined that not only is a wind farm feasible at Fresh Kills, it is the only location in New York City that could support wind energy. Seven 400-foot wind turbines would generate 17.5 megawatts of energy, which is equal to 3% of Staten Island’s energy use or enough to power as many as 5,000 homes.
“Thanks to its unobstructed exposure to the strong prevailing winds, Fresh Kills is one of the best locations in New York City for a wind energy facility,” said Molinaro. “And it’s important to remember that not only will a wind farm cost the City nothing, but it will be profitable for the City as well. The land can be leased to generate revenue, which is especially important in this fiscal climate. It would also encourage businesses seeking clean energy sources to consider Staten Island for their operations.”
The New York State DEC has thus far not supported the wind farm proposal. But in light of Mayor Bloomberg’s comments in Copenhagen, as well as a new plan released by Governor Paterson that aims to generate 45% of the State’s electricity needs from renewable energy sources such as wind power, Borough President Molinaro remains optimistic about the prospects for a Fresh Kills wind farm.
“Each day that this project is delayed, we are essentially burning 12,000 gallons of oil, or 4.3 million gallons per year,” said Molinaro. “But the climate is right for moving forward on this common sense project, and with support from Mayor Bloomberg and a new State effort to expand the use of renewable energy, Staten Island can transform one of the worst ecological nightmares into something positive for our environment.”
December 16, 2009