"Today's date"

Dear Public Service Commission,

I OBJECT TO DANSKAMMER’S ENERGY CENTER PROPOSAL.

Just as the Hudson Valley gave birth to the modern American environmental movement in the 1960s, we are again positioned to model a system of prosperity to inspire the nation. With renewable energies as the primary focus for the future, we have the opportunity to consider new and innovative technologies that are sustainable for our communities and society as a whole.

I am a supporting member of the Hudson Valley Next Generation Bio-gas initiative. We are advocating for the implementation of this sustainable technology as a complementary alternative to natural gas. This will help transition our region off of fossil fuels and support Governor Cuomo’s CLCPA.

Some of the highlights we are emphasizing:

1. Bio-gas is renewable energy and can be created by local sources such as food waste and certain bio-fuel crops that do not compete with other agricultural supply chains. Local institutions are also actively studying the viability of using invasive species for bio-gas production which would effectively economically incentivize the cleanup and repair of our watersheds. This sustainable system would create many long lasting jobs and offer residents an opportunity to earn additional income in a way that promotes sustainability and financial security.

2. Sewage sludge can also be used as an input fuel source to biogas production. This would monetize the county's waste while reducing impacts and potential hazards to watersheds. This new revenue stream would provide continuous investment to repair, update, and maintain current systems.

3. One byproduct of biogas production is a nutrient rich fertilizer that can be supplied to the agricultural sector. Through this system, farmers would be able to reutilize and recycle the power plant output waste into their operations and retain valuable compounds in the local ecosystem.

Meanwhile, Danskammer's proposal does not help the community:

1. Their proposed energy center highlights new technology that is 40 to 50% more efficient relative to the current plant. However, the current facility only runs about 20 days, or 5%, of the year. Considering that Danskammer advertises that their new plant would be expected to operate at 70% capacity, or 250 days of the year, the resulting local emissions would increase by over 7 times! (Bio-gas produces a fraction of the pollution with the same amount of energy production.)

2. In addition, the PILOT program they are proposing falls significantly short of a proper assessment that should be based on their anticipated 70% run-time capacity (as stated by the company on their website) and not based on the 5% run-time of the existing plant. The public deserves a better deal because the current arrangement equates to potentially millions of dollars lost in community revenue.

3. In general, Danskammer has no concrete plan to transition to renewable energy, so their design is destined to become obsolete and lead to an eventual bankruptcy. With this company willing to invest over $500 million into a new facility, they certainly have the means to provide a better option for the community. Bio-gas offers a fair and viable solution that all parties should be able to reach an agreement on and profit from.

I REJECT the current Danskammer proposal along the Hudson River. It's time to get serious about moving New York off of fossil fuels in a way that allows renewable technologies to scale into the future. Bio-gas is clearly a beneficial and lucrative option for the Hudson Valley from both environmental and economic perspectives. There are many examples of bioenergy plants throughout New York State which we can take inspiration from. Hudson Valley Next Generation provides an inspirational model, supported by local institutions and activist groups, that can utilize existing technologies to properly transition our energy sector into a green economy.

Our network demands an opportunity to negotiate these matters.

WE ALL CAN BENEFIT, AND WE ARE READY TO WORK TOGETHER.

Sincerely,

"Your name"

"City, state and zip"