FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2021
CONTACT:
Kaye Dyja
212-818-0580
kdyja@council.nyc.gov
City Council Member Keith Powers, Tenants Association, and Elected Officials Announce End of Plans for Power Plant Construction in Stuyvesant Town
After years of engagement, property owner has agreed to not move forward with construction
New York, NY – Today, City Council Member Keith Powers, the Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village (STPCV) Tenants Association, Congresswoman Maloney, State Senator Hoylman, Assembly Member Epstein, and Borough President Levine announce the cessation of plans for two combined heat and power (CHP) facilities in Stuyvesant Town. Over the past few years, the coalition has been engaged with Beam Living and Blackstone regarding concerns from the community about the plants. Based on these conversations, Blackstone has agreed to not move forward with construction.
“For years now, we’ve been working tirelessly with the Tenants Association to raise residents’ concerns and halt construction of these plants,” said Council Member Keith Powers. “Today’s announcement is a testament to the hard work and continued advocacy of tenants and community organizing. I’m grateful to Blackstone and Beam Living for engaging in thoughtful discussion, taking our concerns seriously, and listening to the residents in Stuyvesant Town.”
“This is a highly satisfactory resolution to an issue that raised concerns amongst many residents. I am grateful to all of the residents who signed petitions and postcards and came to our rallies, and to the cadre of hard-working tenants who formed our CHP strategy committee,” said Susan Steinberg, president of the Stuyvesant Town—Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association. “I also want to acknowledge the effective support of our elected representatives, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, NYS Senator Brad Hoylman, NYS Assemblymember Harvey Epstein and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. In particular I want to call out our Councilman Keith Powers, whose non-stop negotiations with Blackstone resulted in their pulling the project. Finally, I want to acknowledge Blackstone for its willingness to recognize how critical this issue was for us and for doing the right thing.”
In 2018, plans were announced to build one fossil fuel burning CHP plant between 245 and 271 Avenue C. Two years later, it was announced the intention to build a bigger CHP plant under the floor of a garage on 20th Street. Elected leaders, tenants, and organizers expressed their concerns about the environmental impact, viability, and legality of the power plants. Residents also raised concerns about air quality and the possible health implications of living so close to a power plant.
“I am thrilled that Blackstone has listened to the united voices of Stuy-Town Peter Cooper residents and area elected officials and decided to pull the Combined Heating Plan (CHP),” said Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. “I have been working to ensure that harmful emission generating fossil fuel plants cannot be sited in close proximity to other such plants – like the ConEd generating station directly across the street from Stuy-Town – and I am incredibly happy that this community will not have to suffer from the compounded ill-effects of another plant in the neighborhood. As a City, State, and Nation, we need to be moving away from these climate killing technologies, and I am grateful that Blackstone has responded to our concerns and stopped moving forward with CHP.”
“Stuy Town can now breathe easy!” said State Senator Brad Hoylman. “This is a tremendous victory for our local community and our efforts to address the climate crisis. Thanks to the collective efforts of the Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association and my colleagues in government with the cooperation of the landlord Blackstone, we’ve ended the threat of two new Combined Heat and Power fossil fuel plants being located in the midst of this iconic neighborhood. New Yorkers made it clear last year with the passage of a new constitutional amendment that we demand clean air and a comprehensive approach to the climate emergency. I appreciate Blackstone for heeding our call to action and pulling the plug on these power plants.”
“I’m thankful that Blackstone & the management team at Stuyvesant Town sat down with the tenant association and the elected representatives of StuyTown and heard our concerns regarding their CHP proposed plants,” said Assembly Member Harvey Epstein. “This proposed plan does not comply with New York State’s CLCPA goals and we’ve made that clear. Together we will move in a direction that meets our climate goals. Thank you to Susan Steinberg and the entire tenant leadership, Council Member Keith Powers, Senator Brad Hoylman, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, and Rep. Carolyn Maloney for their continued fight in this environmental justice issue.”
“This marks a very exciting day for the Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village community,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. “After years of continued organizing and advocacy, I am very glad that Blackstone heard our rallying cry and made the right decision for Manhattan and our city. Thank you to Council Member Powers, the Stuyvesant Town Tenants Association, and all my colleagues for their consistent work on this.”
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