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WHAT IS CPV?

CPV is a 650 Megawatt fracked (natural gas) power plant built in 2018 in Orange County New York, 60 miles northwest of New York City.

According to climate scientists it increases the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 10% of the power sector, and will cost society over $900,000,000 in damages, annually. They say this is catastrophic for efforts to combat climate change.

CPV is owned by Competitive Power Ventures, whose company executive, Peter Braith Kelly, was just convicted of bribing a NYS aide close to Governor Cuomo, Joseph Percoco (also convicted). The bribery was meant to help the project get approvals and get the state to close Indian Point, in order to give CPV access to the NYS market, the second largest consumer of power in the world. Despite the convictions the bribery scheme was successful. CPV has now plugged NYC directly to the fracking fields in PA

CPV was built in Orange County in the middle of a protected agricultural district and historic site, over 80 acres of wetlands, next to an environmental justice community, on a Native American burial site, in endangered species habitat. It’s built on the edge of the world famous black dirt region, now contaminating the “official soil” of NYS.

The costs of construction for CPV is being paid by NYS ratepayers who have a surcharge added to their electric bills to pay for it. Now an additional charge will be added to all NY utility bills because of CPV’s bribery scheme.

CPV will depend on 100-150 fracking wells per a year. Fracking is the worst possible source of power for the planet because it leaks methane at every stage of the process from extraction to consumption and requires hundreds of miles of pipelines. Methane has 100 times the global warming impact as CO2 over a twenty year time-frame. Global methane levels increased 60% in the last decade and scientists say that half of that was likely caused by fracking in North America. Methane levels this year have reached an all time high of 1875 parts per billion, with 2019 seeing the largest increase since record keeping began.

We call CPV the head of the #BlackSnake because it drives all of the rest of the fracking infrastructure that is needed including compressor stations, pipelines, and storage facilities. You can order our #BlackSnake T-shirts here.

The Pipeline to serve CPV, the Valley Lateral Pipeline, cut through critical wetlands and farmlands, destroyed an essential roosting corridor for the endangered Indiana and Long Eared Bats, and disturbed an Eagle’s Nest; in violation of the Clean Water Act, The Endangered Species Act, and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW?

CPV became operational in January of 2018.

Since that time residents have reported adverse health impacts, noxious odors, and unbearable noise. The pollution aka greenhouse gas emissions in this once pristine valley can be seen here with a special infra-red camera. Tinyurl.com/CPV-FLIR

There have been several large crow dies in the area since the plant became operational which we believe is related plant emissions.

CPV has been allowed to operate by NYS/Cuomo despite the bribery convictions as well as absence of required federal air permit. Please sign this petition, telling Cuomo to pull-plug on this project once and for all.

CPV was successful in getting NYS to shut down Indian Point Reactor 2, which was shut down on April 30, 2020. Since that time there has been a 15-20% increase in gas consumption for power generation in NYS. In other words, NYS lost its 2nd largest source of carbon-free power and it has been replaced by fracked gas.

COVID-CPV-POLLUTION

Several new studies are showing the link between exposure to air pollution and COVID-19 mortality. Because of this we are asking Cuomo and Health Commissioner Zucker to use their emergency powers to immediately halt operation of the plant.

A new bill sponsored by State Senator Metzger would ban any project whose company executives are found guilty of corruption from being eligible to hold any state permits. We are supporting this bill and urge everyone to call Senate Majority Leader, Andrea Stewart Cousins, and Assembly Leader Carl Hastie to pass this bill and place it on Cuomo’s desk to sign. Please call all three and urge them to get this bill passed and signed. If CPV is not stopped this will send a message to all corporate polluters that NY welcomes corruption.

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