Great Lakes Energy Future

Becca Ford: South Manitou Island Lighthouse ~Enlarge

Dear Friends,

We are blessed with picturesque shorelines along the world's largest freshwater
ecosystem. In addition to abundant fresh water for drinking, agriculture and recreation,
the Great Lakes are an energy center. The Northeast Midwest Institute estimates over
108,000 MW of electricity are generated in the Great Lakes watershed. Dozens of nuclear
and coal-fired power plants dot their shores. Buffalo's Steel Winds and Tug Hill's Maple
Ridge spin from the Lakes' great gales. St. Lawrence-FDR and the Moses-Saunders dams
harness the power of pure water. Every energy generation plant has an environmental
impact and the addition of new energy infrastructure requires a cumulative and holistic
look at its impact on the overall freshwater ecology and multiple uses benefits of our
freshwater wonder.

What do we want the energy future to be for our Great Lakes? Our
energy future must be cognizant of the lessons learned from our energy past. Mercury
pollution from coal combustion requires every Lake to issue fish consumption advisories
to protect human health. Stockpiles of nuclear waste are stored along our shores with no
real solution to address this waste. Increased demand for fresh water and increased
evaporation from our warming climate threatens our Lakes to recede. The energy
generation landscape is changing in the United States and abroad as countries deal with
global warming pollution and increasing energy independence. A sustainable approach to
energy is needed, as the decisions we make today will have profound impacts on the lives
of our children, and our children's children. Harnessing the power of Niagara Falls has
given us clean, abundant, and cheap power. As new energy infrastructure is proposed, we
must ask if the investment will yield the same benefits or end up being a further burden
on the economy and the environment.

Are there wiser investments to generate electricity that reduce risk and do not leave a legacy of waste? The Great Lakes energy future must recognize and respond to how fast the energy world is changing. What will our nation's
grid look like in 10 to 20 years? Efforts to promote a 'smart grid' have the potential
to yield significant demand reductions and smarter uses of energy. Generating energy
close to energy demand increases efficiency, as well as the demand for cleaner
alternatives. Renewable energy projects are real. In addition to the clean energy
already being generated by wind power in the basin, renewable energy generation continues
to expand. Currently, the New York Power Authority is moving forward on proposal to build
large-scale solar generation and off-shore wind power in the Great Lakes. Ontario's
Trillium offshore wind project, off the coast of Toronto, is proposing to build over 700
MW off shore wind farm. Cleveland is moving forward with an offshore proposal as well.

However, in Oswego, NY, a new nuclear power plant is proposed for the Nine-mile complex
adjacent to Lake Ontario. It is no secret that nuclear power generation comes with huge
human and environmental risks. The legacy of toxic waste that persists alone threatens
to contaminate our drinking water, land, and future generations. Great Lakes
communities, especially Upstate New York, are no strangers to the legacies of toxic
contamination. Today, Western New York residents are struggling to secure a full clean
up of West Valley, a nuclear reprocessing site, contaminated half a century ago.
Radioactive waste is migrating towards tributaries of our Great Lakes. Will this same
fight be forced in Oswego to protect the drinking water for millions of New Yorkers?
Local enthusiasm exists for any economic activity in upstate New York and our sister rust
belt communities.

However, is there a better way to put our community back to work? Tens of thousands of jobs in New York are expected to be created from state and federal investments in the clean energy sector. We question if continuing to build large
centralized polluting electricity generation is the best solution for our community,
state, and nation's sustainable economic future. New York State is expected to release
its draft energy plan at the end of this month and is holding a series of public meeting
across the state in the coming weeks. Public involvement in shaping our energy future is
vital. I encourage you to engage in this important process and more information will be
available at http://www.nysenergyplan.com/