Friday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo pushed efforts, including legislation, to thwart any offshore oil extraction that might possibly occur as a result of the Trump administration reducing restrictions such exploration.
The Governor didn’t stop there, saying he would go as far as unleashing a citizen armada to “disrupt” federal efforts, adding, “If you think I’m kidding, I’m not.” The secretary to the Governor also said the Governor was being serious.
Welcome to the Empire State, where an attempt from Washington that opens just a small possibility that New Yorkers could gain access to more affordable energy is met with apparently serious threats of extra-legal action.
This follows on the heels of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signing a bill to ban offshore drilling in New Jersey. The states with the second-worst, and worst tax and business climates in the nation seem to be in an arms race to be the most unaffordable place to live or grow a business.
New York is busy forcing taxpayers and ratepayers to subsidize massive offshore wind farms. The state’s 50-by-30 renewables agenda is driven by political calculus to chase an impossible goal of having half the state’s energy come from sources like wind and solar by 2030.
It has led to bizarre policies like a massive bailout for nuclear power plants that were in low demand and slated to be closed – paid for again by New Yorkers. Adding insult to injury the state blocked people from seeing exactly how much they were paying on their energy bills for this bailout.
The state’s fetish for wind power – inefficient and expensive – has also seen Albany force wind mills on neighborhoods that don’t want them. If only those towns and villages could host grandstanding press conferences to block infrastructure they didn’t want.
It is policies like these that have New Yorkers paying some of the highest energy costs in the nation, and seeing their tax dollars go to support a political agenda masquerading as environmental and energy policy.