Queens Air Clean-Up

Northwest Queens residents will be breathing cleaner air in the coming years, thanks to funding from the New York Power Authority (NYPA). The new venture is called the Queens Clean Air Project (QCAP). The NYPA has agreed to provide $2 million for community projects that promise to cut power plant emissions, conserve energy and improve public health by reducing pollution.
Its all part of a partnership between New York conservation and environmental groups, the Power Authority and the borough presidents office, all of whom are hopeful that Queens energy efficiency and air pollution reduction goals can be achieved.
"Under this project, we move feasible ideas into actionable pollution reductions. In doing so, were demonstrating that innovative, cost-effective technologies are available now, not just on the drawing boards but actually on our streets and in our apartment buildings," said Ashok Gupta, director of air and energy programs for the Natural Resources Defense Council and founding member of Clean Air Communities.
It will work in tandem with local community groups to help home and business owners lower their energy needs through the use of alternative energy sources such as solar power. The initiative will be coordinated through CAC, which will provide technical, implementation and management assistance on behalf of the QCAP.
The NYPA will also be taking steps to construct a new, more energy efficient power plant at the Astoria site of the 825-megawatt 26-year-old Charles Poletti power plant. The new 500-megawatt plant would run on cleaner burning natural gas and is expected to put out 97% fewer sulfur dioxide emissions and 93% fewer nitrogen oxides than the old plant.
"There is a right way and a wrong way to do this, and unfortunately, most of its being done the wrong way," Councilman Peter Vallone said, referring to the large number of powerplants in northwest Queens. "The traffic we have here, the airports, the powerplants, you put that all together and its why were in whats called asthma alley right now."
Queens politicians and residents have been protesting the polluting plant for years because of its inefficient and dirty operations. The plant will be closed as soon as 2008 and no later than 2010, which means its only a matter of years before northwest Queens will be a much cleaner place.
"This program fulfills a historic commitment that Governor Pataki made to the people of northwest Queens. It is a key part of a landmark agreement that the governor announced last fall for the Power Authority to build a clean new power plant," said Eugene Zeltmann, NYPA president and CEO. "We are delighted to provide the funding for the Queens Clean Air Project, and we look forward to working with our partners and local residents and groups to assure that the program brings the greatest possible benefit to the community."
In the short term, the Poletti plant will reduce its dependency on oil, and gradually increase its use of natural gas fuel. On July 15, a request for proposals was announced requiring an initial letter of intent due on September 15 from those groups wishing to propose clean air projects. The Northeast States Clean Air Foundation, the borough presidents office, the New York Public Interest Research Group, the NRDC, the NYPA and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will form a committee for QCAP that will be responsible for identifying, evaluating and selecting those projects that are technically feasible, provide public and environmental health benefits, are cost-effective and are easily implemented.
The CAC has a track record of bringing down energy consumption and achieving emission reductions in areas that needed it most. They have implemented a number of energy efficiency projects in New York City and have previously provided millions of dollars in direct funding to New York City communities.