New York Governor Kathy Hochul's State of the State address failed to quell climate activists' concerns over her administration's shift on key environmental issues. In a nearly hour-long speech, Hochul emphasized making energy "cleaner" while announcing plans to increase nuclear power by fivefold to meet growing demand.
Despite promises to make energy more reliable and affordable, climate activists say the governor's new nuclear goal is an expensive move that could lead to skyrocketing utility bills for New Yorkers. The plan aims to build up to 5 gigawatts of new nuclear reactors, but critics argue that this will be a costly and environmentally damaging endeavor.
The administration has also been criticized for its handling of housing development, with Hochul proposing changes to the environmental review process to fast-track projects deemed "not likely to have significant effects on the environment." Climate activists say this could lead to a lack of transparency and oversight in the development process, potentially allowing developers to circumvent regulations meant to protect public health and the environment.
Hochul's administration has also been accused of betraying New Yorkers by approving key permits for fossil fuel projects, including a proposed natural gas pipeline off the coast of New York City. Climate activists say that these actions contradict the state's climate leadership goals and demonstrate a lack of commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Critics argue that Hochul's energy strategy is overly focused on meeting growing demand without considering the environmental costs. "It was magical thinking" to suggest that new nuclear power can be consistent with an affordability agenda, said Joseph Romm, a senior researcher at Penn State University.
While the governor touted some clean energy initiatives, climate activists say she has not done enough to advance renewable energy projects. The state has made progress in this area, with 31 large-scale solar and wind projects approved since streamlining its permitting process, but advocates argue that more needs to be done to meet New York's ambitious climate goals.
Overall, climate activists are disappointed by Hochul's State of the State address and say her administration must do more to prioritize environmental protection and public health.
Despite promises to make energy more reliable and affordable, climate activists say the governor's new nuclear goal is an expensive move that could lead to skyrocketing utility bills for New Yorkers. The plan aims to build up to 5 gigawatts of new nuclear reactors, but critics argue that this will be a costly and environmentally damaging endeavor.
The administration has also been criticized for its handling of housing development, with Hochul proposing changes to the environmental review process to fast-track projects deemed "not likely to have significant effects on the environment." Climate activists say this could lead to a lack of transparency and oversight in the development process, potentially allowing developers to circumvent regulations meant to protect public health and the environment.
Hochul's administration has also been accused of betraying New Yorkers by approving key permits for fossil fuel projects, including a proposed natural gas pipeline off the coast of New York City. Climate activists say that these actions contradict the state's climate leadership goals and demonstrate a lack of commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Critics argue that Hochul's energy strategy is overly focused on meeting growing demand without considering the environmental costs. "It was magical thinking" to suggest that new nuclear power can be consistent with an affordability agenda, said Joseph Romm, a senior researcher at Penn State University.
While the governor touted some clean energy initiatives, climate activists say she has not done enough to advance renewable energy projects. The state has made progress in this area, with 31 large-scale solar and wind projects approved since streamlining its permitting process, but advocates argue that more needs to be done to meet New York's ambitious climate goals.
Overall, climate activists are disappointed by Hochul's State of the State address and say her administration must do more to prioritize environmental protection and public health.
, but this nuclear thing is just crazy 
! 5 gigawatts? That's like, a lot of power 
. I get that we need it, but can't we think of something cheaper & less damaging to the environment too? 
And what about those housing dev projects? It feels like they're just gonna rush through everything without checking if it's okay for our community 
. I'm all for progress, but not at the cost of our health & planet 
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! Kathy Hochul thinks she's being all eco-friendly with her "cleaner energy" plan, but really she's just pouring money into nuclear power that'll blow our budgets to smithereens 
. And don't even get me started on the fossil fuel permits she approved – it's like she's playing a game of environmental whack-a-mole 
. I mean, we need more renewable energy projects, not more nukes! It's just magic thinking, as Joseph Romm said... sorry, had to share that 
. The fact that climate activists are already disappointed by the State of the State address says a lot about how misguided Hochul's plan is 
. It seems like Kathy Hochul is trying to balance the books with clean energy, but at what cost? Her plan for nuclear power is gonna be super pricey, and that's not gonna help people struggling to make ends meet.
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... but it seems like Kathy Hochul's energy plan is a total cop-out 
And what about the environmental impact? We can't just gloss over the fact that nuclear power is basically toxic waste in disguise 
. I'm all for clean energy, but this just feels like a Band-Aid solution to me... where's the plan to actually reduce emissions and make real progress on climate change? 
but on the other hand, it's super expensive and could lead to skyrocketing utility bills 
maybe include some more renewable energy projects in the mix 
. And don't even get me started on the permits for fossil fuel projects – that's like, totally not in line with her climate leadership goals 
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. We need to see more action, not just words 
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. Hochul's speech was just a bit too focused on the short-term gains 
. Climate activists are totally right to speak out against this – it's like they're trying to sabotage the state's climate leadership goals 
. We need more solar and wind power, not nuclear reactors that are gonna pollute the air 
. And let's be real, fast-tracking housing development with lax environmental reviews? That's just a recipe for disaster 
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. We need to see real action on climate change, not just empty promises 
The key is using tempeh instead of ricotta cheese, it gives it such a nice texture. Have you guys tried any good vegan recipes lately? 
I was thinking of trying my hand at making some homemade pasta too... maybe I'll post a recipe on my food blog sometime soon 