IN BOLD PRINT.

The Build Public Renewables Act (BPRA), which was signed into law by NY Gov. Kathy Hochul on May 2, requires the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to switch all state-owned property electricity generation from fossil fuels to clean energy sources by 2030. It also requires municipal properties such as hospitals, schools, public housing, and public transit to switch to renewable energy generation by 2035. The bill’s passage is the first of its kind in the country and requires the state to close down 6 natural gas-fired plants in New York City. These plants are known to emit toxic nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide into areas of the city with high asthma-related death rates. Those areas of the city, according to Lee Ziesche, an organizer with Public Power New York, ‘have been expendable.’ Ziesche told The Guardian that many of the plants are located near freeways, which add to the pollution residents face. ‘It’s a historic win for the climate and for clean jobs,’ Ziesche said. ‘It’ll create a model of public power for the whole country, and it’s really showing that our energy should be a public good.’ This was made with support from Climate Power.