Queens opposition to NRG power plant holds steady

Queens lawmakers added their voices to the opposition of the Astoria power plant refurbishment project.

Courtesy of the Office of Senator Michael Gianaris

By Rachel Vick

Queens lawmakers joined in the opposition to the proposed NRG peaker plant upgrades in Astoria last week, echoing community concerns over new fossil fuel-powered energy sources.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, State Sens. Michael Gianaris and Jessica Ramos and Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani have all criticized the plan to replace turbines as the city strives to meet climate and clean energy goals.

“For too long, the people of western Queens have borne the brunt of the consequences of being home to far too many of New York’s pollution-belching power plants – that needs to stop today,” Schumer said. “A rebuilt NRG plant that will keep a fossil fuel-dependent power plant in Astoria for years to come would directly undermine the urgently needed goals laid out in New York’s groundbreaking climate law.”

The reinvigorated outcries come after the Department of Environmental Conservation announced the public comment period for the project, which would replace outdated natural gas turbines with a newer, more efficient model expected to cut statewide greenhouse gas emissions by more than five million tons through the year 2035.

Greenhouse gases emitted by natural gas fired peaker plants like Astoria’s include carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide, and release small particulate matter known to damage the respiratory system.

Legislators argued that though installing new fossil fuel infrastructure is antithetical to the goals outlined in the Climate Leadership Community Protection Act, installing the infrastructure in a neighborhood called “Asthma Alley” because of the higher-than-average rates of asthma in the area makes it worse.

“Every day, I see my neighbors across Astoria suffer from some of the worst air quality in our city and we have the asthma rates to show for it,” Mamdani, who represents Astoria in the Assembly, said.

“Enough is enough; we are sick and tired of investments being made in dirty fossil fuels when we can build clean energy today,” he added. “We should not be building new fossil fuel plants in Astoria, or anywhere across New York State.”