NEW YORK, NY - Following a Riverkeeper press conference in
Orange County, candidate for Governor Cynthia Nixon has released the following
statement in response to Cuomo's approval of the Hudson Valley CPV power plant:
"The approval of
the CPV power plant by the Cuomo Administration is an ethical and environmental
disaster.
"While Governor Cuomo’s Department of Environmental
Conservation was reviewing requests for air pollution permits from the power
plant company from 2012 until 2016, Governor Cuomo’s right-hand man was
accepting bribes from the company seeking state approval to build the power
plant.
"Joseph Percoco, Andrew Cuomo's best friend and former
top aide, accepted thousands of dollars in bribes and has been convicted in a
federal court of criminal violations associated with the construction of this
power plant, including securing a 'low show' job for his wife.
"While a judge and jury held Percoco accountable for
his crimes, the construction of the power plant by a corrupt corporate bad
actor continued and today the DEC is reviewing test burns to determine if the
plant can start operating and polluting the Hudson Valley by burning fracked
gas.
"Putting a corrupt Cuomo official in jail is not
enough. Rather than exposing Hudson
Valley residents from the air pollution that will be spewed from the
smokestacks, Governor Cuomo should be protecting them. He should direct his
state Department of Environmental Conservation to immediately revoke the
permits they have issued from this bad actor corporation and direct the
Inspector General to immediately investigate who Joe Percoco pressured to
ensure the issuance of these DEC permits.
"I pledge that if I am elected Governor I will not
approve any new use of fracked gas in New York State, Andrew Cuomo should take
the same pledge. New York should not build fossil fuel power plants or pipelines
that threaten our environment and contribute to climate change. Energy efficiency and renewables are the
energy choices of the future that will create far more jobs and protect our
environment for future generations."
