More than 15 years ago, I called for replacing the embarrassingly inadequate downtown Buffalo train station and with a modern, intermodal station.
Buffalo, NY (November 19, 2020) — New York invested $72.8 million in new passenger stations in Buffalo and Niagara Falls. The Nov. 8 opening of the Exchange Street station has prompted some to begin lobbying Amtrak to add more trains here. Amtrak’s primary routes from Buffalo and Niagara Falls are the Niagara Branch of Empire Corridor run, which ends in Albany, and the Maple Leaf Run, which begins in Toronto and ends in New York City….
“It is really a chicken-and-egg situation,” said former State Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, now a lobbyist. Hoyt believes the $29.8 million Exchange Street station, coupled with the $43 million invested in the Niagara Falls station, gives local leaders an edge when pressing Amtrak. Additionally, with people looking for alternatives to air travel in the Covid-19 world, there may be an opportunity for more Amtrak routes.
Read more at: https://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2020/11/19/track-issues-decreased-ridership-main-reasons.html
— from the Buffalo News Editorial Board, Sept 20, 2020
Humankind has not yet invented a perfect way to generate electricity. Coal was king for more than 70 years, but mining it scars the earth, burning it releases toxic chemicals into the atmosphere along with carbon dioxide that is overheating planet Earth.
Hydraulically fractured horizontal wells made the U.S. the top producer of oil and natural gas in the world in 2018, but fracking – now outlawed in New York State – can have adverse effects on air and water quality.
Renewable energy sources – primarily solar and wind – represent the next frontier in power generation. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and the State Legislature established in 2019, through state law, a target of 70% of the state’s electricity must come from renewable sources by 2030. To make that possible, the governor signed a law in April to expedite the approval of large-scale wind and solar projects.
The law removes influence that local governments and citizens have on whether those projects win approval, replacing siting boards – which included residents – with a new office to rule on such projects.
Renewable energy sources are imperfect, too. Wind turbines don’t generate power when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t always shine on solar panels. But as the technology becomes more sophisticated, including the development of batteries to store power, wind and sun energy will play a greater role in New York’s power grid. READ MORE >>
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the availability of proposed regulations that would implement the nation-leading Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act. The draft regulatory framework will dramatically speed up the siting and construction of major renewable energy projects to combat climate change and help jumpstart the state’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Act and the resulting regulations will also accelerate progress toward the Governor’s nation-leading clean energy and climate goals – including the directive to obtain 70 percent of the state’s electricity from renewable sources – as mandated under the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
“The COVID-19 pandemic and climate change are two of the greatest challenges New York has ever faced, but we are tackling both head-on and our nation-leading climate agenda is quickly creating good jobs and generating billions in economic investment, while ensuring that our most vulnerable communities have clean air to breathe,” Governor Cuomo said. “These regulations will supercharge our growing green economy and reaffirm New York’s position as a definitive hub of the clean energy sector through a revamped and rapid process for building and delivering emissions-free power.” READ MORE >>
GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES 12 NEW YORK COMPANIES TO START PRODUCING COVID-19 RELATED EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES TO SUPPORT IN-STATE NEEDS
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced 12 New York companies have received support from the State to produce needed supplies to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. While the State currently has some of the lowest transmission rates in the United States, preparing for a possible “second wave” is vital to protecting essential healthcare workers and the public. These grant funds will help alleviate product shortages due to supply chain issues that could lead to unfair pricing practices. These companies will also increase the State’s manufacturing capacity while creating new jobs and market opportunities. To date, more than $11 million in grants have been awarded to 20 qualifying New York-based companies to retool their business lines and pivot to manufacturing vital supplies for ongoing response and recovery efforts.
“During the pandemic, the nation has learned a hard lesson about not having a supply chain for vital supplies based here at home in the U.S. and as a result we had to scour the globe for live-saving products that are mainly manufactured overseas,”Governor Cuomo said. “That won’t happen again in New York – we are building the infrastructure needed for the future and by supporting local companies’ pivot to new areas of production, we will be in a better position to avoid supply and demand issues and secure the items we need both quickly and at reasonable prices.”
Empire State Development Acting Commissioner and President & CEO-designate Eric Gertler said, “Many of the world’s premier and most innovative companies are in New York State. ESD’s support for these businesses not only answers Governor Cuomo’s call for homegrown industries to assist with the state’s efforts to combat the coronavirus but reflects the investment that is being made to strengthen New York’s manufacturing sector, enhance a diverse, dynamic private sector partner that can adapt quickly to new market opportunities, and continue its record of smart growth as we reopen and grow statewide.”
In March, Governor Cuomo asked companies with New York-based operations to retool production lines in order to manufacture approved COVID-19 critical supplies, such as ventilators, test kits and PPE, including N95 respirators, surgical masks, disposable surgical gloves, gowns, face shields, and biohazard bags. More recently, the Governor announced ESD had identified 20 companies for State investment to manufacture supplies to address COVID-19, eight of which were previously awarded $4 million to help make the products here in New York State.
Additional information about the companies announced today:
Shatkin F.I.R.S.T, LLC, Western New York: $675,000 — A dental and medical supply company based out of Amherst, Erie County. With the assistance of Empire State Development, Shatkin F.I.R.S.T. purchased an N95 respirator-making machine to manufacture hundreds of thousands of N95 respirators for their customers in the health care industry. In total, Shatkin F.I.R.S.T. has invested more than $500,000 to date, hired at least 30 people, has manufactured more than 200,000 N95 respirators, and recently procured a second machine to be able to manufacture millions of N95 respirators.
Niagara Falls School District bus with BusPatrol camera to record motorists illegally passing stopped school buses. (photo: Barbara O'Brien/Buffalo News)
The Buffalo News (July 16, 2020) — Every school bus used daily in Niagara Falls will be equipped with exterior cameras this fall to catch drivers who illegally pass the buses, School Superintendent Mark R. Laurrie said Thursday.
The City Council on Wednesday completed approval of the five-year contract that gives BusPatrol America, the camera company, 60% of all the fines imposed on drivers caught by the cameras.
Laurrie said the company won’t charge anything to install the outside cameras or new surveillance cameras inside all 80 Niagara Falls Coach Lines buses.
The images are given to the Niagara Falls Police Department to issue the traffic tickets, Laurrie said. The fine is $250 for a first offense. The cameras are activated with the safety arm that drops when a bus stops.
Below is the latest press release from Governor Cuomo. As you can see, he announced that three Upstate regions have met all of the metrics to qualify for a partial re-opening on Friday. Unfortunately, Erie County, at this time, does not meet the criteria.
That said, The Buffalo News just reported that Mark Poloncarz believes it is possible that we will have met the criteria by Friday and that WNY may qualify for a re-opening then or soon after.
Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions.
Stay safe.
Best,
Sam Hoyt President Upstate Strategic Advisors, LLC 716 830 1958
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For Immediate Release: 5/11/2020
GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO
VIDEO, AUDIO, PHOTOS & RUSH TRANSCRIPT: AMID ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC, GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES THREE REGIONS OF NEW YORK STATE READY TO BEGIN REOPENING MAY 15TH
Finger Lakes, Southern Tier & Mohawk Valley Regions Have Met the 7 Metrics Required to Begin Phase 1 of Reopening Plan, Which Includes Construction, Manufacturing, Retail for Curbside Pickup, & Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing
The North Country and Central NY Close to Meeting All Metrics
Governor Cuomo Releases the “NY Forward Reopening” Plan, Available Here
Certain Low-Risk Business and Recreational Activities –including Landscaping, Gardening, Tennis & Drive-In-Movie Theaters — Will Reopen Statewide on May 15th
Launches Regional Monitoring Dashboard — Available Here
Announces Members of Regional Control Rooms to Monitor Regional Metrics During Reopening Process
Governor Cuomo: “This is the next big step in this historic journey. First phase was to figure out what we were dealing with because we had no idea. Scramble, frankly, to deal with the situation that dropped from another planet. Stabilize, ramp up the healthcare system, inform people, get people to understand what we were dealing with and control the damage. That’s the mountain to me. We’re now on the other side of the mountain. Next step, how do we reopen, how do we reopen intelligently and how do we reopen without taking a step back? What we have done thus far is really amazing. And it was because we were smart and because we were unified, and because we did that, we averted tragedy.”
Cuomo: “We start with businesses that are more essential and pose a lower risk because once you say we’re going to reopen they say, well what first? Well really everybody says, me first. After me first what businesses first? Those that are most essential and those that pose a lower risk because you can socially distance, et cetera. That’s the matrix to make the decision and then businesses have to do their part also. It’s not a one-sided affair.”
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that as of today, the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley Regions have met all seven metrics required to begin phase one of the state’s regional phased reopening plan when NYS on PAUSE orders expire on May 15th. If the trend continues, starting on May 15th, these three regions can begin opening businesses for phase one, which includes construction; manufacturing and wholesale supply chain; retail for curbside pickup and drop-off or in-store pickup; and agriculture, forestry and fishing. The North Country and Central NY regions have met 6 of the 7 metrics and could be ready at the end of the week. A guide to the state’s “NY Forward Reopening” Plan is available here. The Governor also launched the state’s regional monitoring dashboard, which is available here.
The Governor also announced that certain low-risk business and recreational activities will be ready to reopen statewide on May 15th, including landscaping and gardening; outdoor, low-risk recreational activities such as tennis; and drive-in movie theaters.
VIDEO of the Governor’s remarks is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here, with ASL interpretation available on YouTube here and in TV quality format here.
I thought you would be interested in this article by WNY Labor Today, a widely circulated online publication, which sends a powerful message–Wind Energy is vital in New York State.
We need clean, renewable energy, and we need it now. Thanks,
Buffalo Building Trades Support Major Offshore Wind Energy Initiative, Slated To Meet With Diamond Generating Corporation In December
by Labor News Services & WNYLaborToday.com Staff
(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – The Buffalo Building & Construction Trades Council is supporting a Los Angeles-based company’s Offshore Wind Energy Initiative and plans to meet with the organization’s representatives here in Buffalo in December as the project looks to gain momentum, a representative of the Building Trades told WNYLaborToday.com this week.
In September, Diamond Generating Corporation (DGC) took the first step towards building up to three wind farms out on Lake Erie by submitting an Interconnection Request with the New York Independent System Operator, according to Public Radio Station WBFO-FM. The company’s request shows two wind farms connecting to substations in Erie County and one wind farm connecting to a substation in Dunkirk, all by December of 2023. DGC – which is based in Los Angeles and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mitsubishi Corporation, is a developer, owner and operator of privately-owned power projects across the United States.
The project would create a great number of “good-paying jobs in the industries of the future,” Ironworkers Local 6 Business Manager Tom Halligan – who also serves as Secretary-Treasurer of the 18-Member Union Buffalo Building Trades Council, told WNYLaborToday.com this week. He also told Your On-Line Labor Newspaper that Diamond Generating is interested in building a facility on the grounds of the old Bethlehem Steel site in Lackawanna, where the massive windmill foundations would be built for its projects not only here on Lake Erie, but for several others out on the Great Lakes.
Halligan spoke publicly for the Building Trades in favor of the initiative during a mid-September hearing that was held in the Erie County Legislature. The initiative is being opposed by two Republicans, including Legislator Lynn Dixon, who is currently running for Erie County Executive. Halligan, along with representatives from the Sierra Club’s Niagara Chapter and concerned residents rallied together on the steps of Erie County Hall that day in support of the local offshore wind energy investment, citing wind energy’s significant job-generating potential and the urgent need to move toward a sustainable, environmentally-sound power grid.
During the rally, Halligan said: “Our (Members) want ‘good-paying’ jobs in the ‘industries of the future – and we deserve every opportunity to be a part of the future of offshore wind in Western New York.’ Our communities ‘must not be left behind’ as New York and the rest of the country ‘look toward alternative’ job-creating energy sources. We ‘expect’ our Legislators ‘to be forward-thinking and welcoming of common-sense’ economic development opportunities. Western New York ‘has lost enough and we can’t afford to stand in the way of job growth.’”
This week, Halligan told WNYLaborToday.com: “We’ve set up a meeting with Diamond for December and they’re willing to sign a Project Labor Agreement (PLA should the project move forward). ‘I don’t know if it will happen, but it would put a lot of Ironworkers, Carpenters, Cement Masons, Operating Engineers and other Members of the Trades to work in very good-paying jobs.’ (The Republican Legislators) ‘don’t understand’ the lake bottom (won’t be negatively impacted) since the on-shore built foundations ‘will be taken out onto the lake and sunk, not built out on the lake where anything will be disturbed.’ The ‘majority (of the work) will take place on land and not negatively impact the health of the lake or the fish.’ (Diamond) will have to get through the RFP process and ‘we’ll help them push for it.’”
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has said he would like the State to be 70% powered by renewable energy by 2030 and 100% by 2050. It is said that Downstate New York will host more than $30 billion in wind energy projects when all is said and done.
Click here to view a letter signed by more than 75 elected officials (including more than 20 from WNY) calling on the Governor and legislators to pass a bill this legislative session that would allow school districts use camera technology to go after reckless drivers who pass school buses while their lights are flashing. After many false starts, the State Senate, with Tim Kennedy as the lead sponsor, is about to pass a bill that passed the Assembly 149-0 about 5 weeks ago.
Since this has been a big issue locally, I thought you would have an interest in seeing this info.
by Labor News Services & WNYLaborToday.com Staff