Mark Ruffalo: New York State Leading the Way on the Clean Energy Revolution

By New Yorkers for Clean Power

Top environmental and business organizations, actor Mark Ruffalo and clean energy leaders held a press conference Monday in New York City to launch New Yorkers for Clean Power, a statewide campaign to increase the deployment of clean energy across New York state.

The campaign focuses on education, organizing and advocacy to engage the public, local governments and businesses to advance a range of renewable energy, efficiency and clean transportation options, and to advance and expand New York’s clean energy policies.

“It’s time that we aggressively transition to clean renewable energy and create permanent good-paying jobs for New Yorkers across this great state,” Mark Ruffalo, New Yorkers for Clean Power advisory board member, said.

“New York State is already leading the way on the clean energy revolution with over 85,000 jobs. Now with increased solar, wind, energy efficiency, clean transportation options through New York State’s existing innovative programs, we can bring more jobs and prosperity to every community in the state while protecting the local environment and our global climate. I’m proud to be a part of the the New Yorkers for Clean Power campaign to quickly grow the clean energy economy across the state.”

The campaign also released a Clean Jobs New York report showing that more than 85,000 New Yorkers already work in the clean energy sector and underscoring the potential for substantial clean energy job growth.

UPDATE: There are 85,000+ #cleanenergy jobs in New York state, per new #CleanJobsNY report: https://t.co/mCUOSoQoUu pic.twitter.com/2fAJ5MyOA2

— NRDC 🌎🏡 (@NRDC) May 2, 2016

There are 7,500 business establishments across all 62 counties. The comprehensive new analysis is from the national nonpartisan business group EnvironmentalEntrepreneurs (E2), the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, New York State Sustainable Business Council and New Yorkers for Clean Power. The report is based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics information and new data from the U.S. Department of Energy, as well as a comprehensive survey of hundreds of businesses across the state.

This report is the first of its kind and it breaks down clean energy jobs by county, congressional district and state legislative district. The authors of the report found that New York’s growth expectations—at almost 7 percent—are higher than other states that have been studied, based on the survey of employers.

E2's Ron Kamen launching #CleanJobsNY report, NYCleanPower campaign today at @solaronenyc! 85k NY clean energy jobs! pic.twitter.com/v9P1dyyVN9

— Environmental Entrepreneurs (@e2org) May 2, 2016

New Yorkers for Clean Power is convened by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Frack Action, Catskill Mountainkeeper, The Solutions Project, Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) and is partnering with many organizations, businesses and other groups across the state.

“This new campaign is bringing together organizations, businesses, municipalities and communities to implement clean energy, clean vehicles and create good jobs for New Yorkers,” Renee Vogelsang, campaign coordinator of New Yorkers for Clean Power, said. “Tens of thousands of residents already work in solar, wind, energy efficiency and other clean energy sectors, and we know that’s just the tip of the iceberg as we build the clean energy economy that leads the nation and also protects clean air and water.”

Following the launch in New York City, the New Yorkers for Clean Power campaign is traveling across the state in a donated Ford Focus Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle as part of the “Road to Renewables” tour, holding educational events and engaging communities and local businesses together to work on expanding and implementing clean energy opportunities. The campaign is also spreading awareness about the many existing New York State programs and initiatives that can help communities and individuals adopt clean energy, such as NY-Sun, ChargeNY and NYSERDA’s Renewable Heating and Cooling program.

“New York State is becoming a national leader on renewable energy, thanks to the forward-thinking energy policies of the Cuomo administration,” Julia Walsh, campaign director of Frack Action, said. “We have an incredible opportunity right now to be a model for the rest of this country on how to rapidly transition to renewable energy and efficiency.”

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