Green New Deal rally seeks Delgado’s support
Students, environmentalists and concerned residents gathered at U.S. Rep. Antonio Degaldo’s office on Friday morning to urge him to support moves to counter climate change.
The event was organized by Food & Water Watch, the New York Public Interest Research Group and SUNY New Paltz students.
The activists demanded that Delgado, D-Rhinebeck, work to stop all new fossil fuel projects, transition electricity generation to 100 percent renewable energy by 2035, and ensure a just transition to a clean, renewable energy economy. At least six senators running for president or considering White House bids backed the Green New Deal put forth by freshman Rep. Alexandria OcasioCortez of New York and veteran Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts.
“The Hudson Valley is the heart of environmental activism in our country,” said Nick Leone, vice president of the local chapter of NYPIRG. “If Delgado wants to truly represent his constituents, he will come out strong in the fight against climate change by supporting a ‘Green New Deal,’ and using his power to ban the expansion of all fossil fuel infrastructure in the Hudson Valley, including the Danskammer and Cricket Valley fracked gas plants.”
Environmentalists have expressed opposition to proposed upgrades to the Danskammer power plant in the town of Newburgh that would allow it to burn fracked gas to generate energy. The Cricket Valley Energy Center is a natural gasfired plant being constructed in the town of Dover Plains. It was the subject of a protest last month that resulted in four arrests.
Friday’s event came one day after Democrats launched a sweeping plan to transform the U.S. economy to combat climate change and create thousands of jobs in renewable energy
“Congressman Delgado must champion a real Green New Deal that moves the nation off fossil fuels,” said Food & Water Watch organizer Santosh Nandabalan. “The climate emergency demands more than just pledging agreement with a slogan. The congressman’s instinct to focus on green jobs is a start, but if he’s serious about any kind of green jobs program, Delgado must oppose all dangerous fossil fuel proj-
ects, starting with the proposed Danskammer plant here in the Hudson Valley.”
Among those attending Friday’s event was Kristin Misik, a local resident and mother. “The issue of climate change supersedes all other issues facing Americans,” she said. “Without a habitable planet, what else could possibly matter?
I came to my Congress member’s office to ensure there is clean air and water for my kids and my family.”
Many environmental advocates and politicians have expressed varying degrees of support for the Green New Deal concept. Early this year, more than 600 advocacy groups from across the country sent a letter to members of Congress detailing the specific environmental principles that must be included to address climate change.