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Adirondack North Country Association
 

 
    Alliance Guiding Principles

Blueprint Process

Blueprint Points:
1. Aquatic and Terrestrial Invasive Species

2. Acid Rain

3. Global Climate Change

4. Main Street Revitalization

5. Water, Sewer and Storm-water Infrastructure

6. Marketing and Entrepreneurial Development

7. High-Speed Telecommunications

8. Workforce/Community Housing

9. Transportation Infrastructure

10. Energy

11. Effective Governance and Policy Framework

12. Land Use Change

13. Property Taxes

14. Primary Healthcare Crisis

Appendix
Procedures and Schedule

Founding Sponsors

Alliance Core Team

July 2007 Forum Participant List

BLUEPRINT FOR THE BLUE LINE

THE COMMON GROUND ALLIANCE
FEBRUARY 2008

BLUEPRINT POINTS

10. ENERGY
RATIONALE: Clean, affordable and reliable energy is a necessity to build a sustainable economy in the Adirondack Park, to continue to promote energy independence from foreign sources, and to mitigate the widespread environmental damage we incur from burning fossil fuels.
The current energy picture is grim and includes: high prices for oil and propane fuels, high costs for non-municipal electricity, a decreasing electric power allocation from the New York Power Authority (NYPA) for municipal utilities, increasing peak power and energy needs for business and homes, the very low probability that electric transmission line capacity will be increased throughout the Park, the lack of natural gas infrastructure, and the use of diesel generators for peak power and reliability.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
  • Use subsidies, grants, incentives, research, and model project development to create new jobs and business development in energy-related fields.
  • Emphasize energy conservation and efficiency, peak electric demand reduction, and the use of renewable and alternative energy where it makes economic and environmental sense.
  • Develop a plan for best strategies for achieving increased energy independence and energy development opportunities.
    • Increase the availability and affordability of public transportation for work force and tourism use.
  • Encourage communities, organizations, and businesses to consider the benefits of becoming partners in the Adirondack Energy $mart Park Initiative (E$PI).
REMAINING ISSUES:
  • Explore the Revised 2007 New York State Universal Building Codes regulations used by local governments and State agencies that regulate energy saving features in the construction of residential and commercial buildings.
  • Explore ways to address the issues of scale related to size of businesses, agencies, and geographic distances in relation to energy production, distribution and conservation.
  • Encourage development of an ethanol production plant, which also produces other hydrocarbon substitute chemicals, with the appropriate capital investment and partnerships, including private forest landowners and wood products industries.

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