Cumulative Impact Assessment of the North Brooklyn Pipeline Project

Prepared on behalf of Sane Energy and Alliance for a Green Economy

Author: Tanya Stasio, PhD, Jordan Burt, Elisabeth Seliga, Sachin Peddada, Elizabeth A. Stanton, PhD

The National Grid Phase 5 expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure and the Vaporizer 13/14 project at the Greenpoint Energy Center create a multi-pronged set of threats to the North Brooklyn communities.

AEC Researcher Tanya Stasio, PhD, Research Assistant Jordan Burt, Assistant Researchers Elisabeth Seliga and Sachin Peddada, and Senior Economist, Liz Stanton, PhD  have prepared a cumulative impact assessment on behalf of Sane Energy and Alliance for a Green Economy to highlight the existing and overlapping socioeconomic, environmental, and health-related burdens facing the communities living near the pending Phase 5 pipeline construction and vaporizer additions at the Greenpoint Energy Center. AEC finds that the Bushwick, Bedford, and Williamsburg neighborhoods would be impacted the most from these fossil fuel expansion projects and include densely populated communities with majority BIPOC and low-income residents.

Link to Report

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Testimony on the Proceeding on Motion of the Commission as to the Rates, Charges, Rules and Regulations of Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. for Electric Service

Clients: We Act for Environmental Justice and Alliance for a Green Economy

Author: Liz Stanton, PhD

May 2022

On behalf of We Act for Environmental Justice and Alliance for a Green Economy, AEC Senior Economist Liz Stanton, PhD filed testimony on issues related to greenhouse gas emissions and compliance with New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act in Consolidated Edison’s 2022 rate case before the New York State Public Service Commission (Case 22-E-0064/65). Dr. Stanton found a significant discrepancy between the Company’s planned greenhouse gas emission reductions and the State’s established climate goals. Dr. Stanton also outlines potential solutions to eliminate this discrepancy and ensure Consolidated Edison’s emissions reduction plan adheres to New York State law.

Link to Testimony (Case 22-E-0064/65)

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Comments on Astoria Gas Turbine Power LLC's Proposed Gas-Fired Combustion Turbines

Client: New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and Earthjustice

Authors: Bryndis Woods, PhD and Liz Stanton, PhD

September 2021

On September 13, 2021, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and Earthjustice—on behalf of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, THE POINT CDC, UPROSE, Chhaya CDC, and Clean Energy Group, together with Sierra Club—submitted comments to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) regarding the Draft Title V Air Permit and the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Astoria Gas Turbine Power LLC's proposed Astoria Replacement Project. The comments urged the DEC to deny the permit for the proposed Project because of its inconsistency with New York State climate and emission reduction goals set forth in the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).

AEC's comments address Astoria Gas Turbine Power LLC's incorrect claims that the proposed Project is CLCPA-consistent and that a hypothetical future conversion to hydrogen fuel is zero emissions or CLCPA-consistent. AEC's comments also outline the negative environmental justice and public health implications of hydrogen fuel use. We conclude that—with or without switching from gas fuel to hydrogen—the proposed Project is not consistent with the CLCPA.

Link to AEC Comments

Link to Joint Comments

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Assessment of Backup Diesel Generators in Massachusetts and New York City

Client: Bloom Energy

Authors: Joshua R. Castigliego, Tanya Stasio, Sagal Alisalad, Liz Stanton, PhD

August 2021

On behalf of Bloom Energy, Researchers Joshua Castigliego and Tanya Stasio, Assistant Researcher Sagal Alisalad, and Senior Economist Liz Stanton, PhD prepared two reports assessing backup diesel generators in Massachusetts and New York City. AEC compiled inventories of backup diesel generators in each jurisdiction based on publicly available data and reviewed the quantity, combined capacity, proximity to environmental justice (EJ) communities, and emissions impact of backup diesel generators.

AEC found that there is an abundance of backup diesel generators throughout both areas that are commonly sited near EJ communities and represent a considerable—and largely avoidable—source of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that threaten public health and the environment.

Link to Massachusetts Report

Link to New York City Report

Link to Download Shapefile for Massachusetts Environmental Justice Communities

Link to Download Shapefile for New York City Environmental Justice Communities

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Running Behind: New York State's Renewable Transformation

Client: Earthjustice

Authors: Bryndis Woods, Sagal Alisalad and Liz Stanton, PhD

March 2020

On behalf of Earthjustice, Researcher Bryndis Woods, Assistant Researcher Sagal Alisalad and Senior Economist Liz Stanton, PhD prepared a report that reviews New York State’s past progress on its new climate law as it applies to the electric sector. We find that the state has its work cut out for it in meeting its ambitious targets regarding: renewable energy development, energy efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Given historical trends in these areas, New York will need to dramatically scale up its efforts, beginning immediately, to reach its goals. Importantly, we also find that solar, wind and solar plus storage technologies are feasible and immediately available, and that currently planned gas capacity is at odds with the state’s renewable energy and emission reduction goals and will, therefore, impose unnecessary costs on New York consumers.

Link to Report

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Comment on Transco's Assessment of Net Greenhouse Gas Emissions from NYC's Proposed NESE Pipeline

Client: Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

Author: Liz Stanton, PhD

July 2019

Clinic Director and Senior Economist Liz Stanton, PhD, assisted the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in comments on Transco’s assessment of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the Northeast Supply Enhancement Project (NESE) expansion of its existing interstate pipeline to bring additional gas capacity to New York City and Long Island. Dr. Stanton concluded that Williams’ assessment rests on several faulty assumptions that overstate the emissions of alternatives to the pipeline, and that the evidence supplied by Transco does not support their claim that NESE would lower emissions.

Link to Comment (starting on pdf p.30)

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