We're a group of organizations and advocates fighting for an inclusive, accessible transition off fossil fuels, to clean energy. Many of us were members of a victorious coalition that successfully stopped the expansion of the Danskammer fracked gas plant.

WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM WITH A NEW DANSKAMMER?

The Danskammer Generating Station, an old power plant in Newburgh, operates only a few times a year. Owner Danskammer Energy proposed replacing it with a new Danskammer fracked gas plant that will run nearly/almost all the time.

Had it been approved, a new Danskammer plant would:

● INCREASE AIR POLLUTION & THREATEN OUR HEALTH. A new Danskammer could add over 25 times more health-damaging particulate matter and volatile organic compounds (VOC) to our region. The pollution could contaminate our agricultural lands, negatively impact tourism, and exacerbate respiratory illnesses, which are already elevated in Newburgh and the surrounding area.

● WORSEN THE CLIMATE CRISIS. A new Danskammer would increase the region’s fossil fuel dependency and would emit up to 40 times more greenhouse gases at a time when NY state is supposed to be reducing greenhouse gases by 85% by the year 2050.

● HARM PEOPLE OF COLOR AND LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES. A new Danskammer would add to the pre-existing environmental racism in Newburgh, a city already struggling with PFO/PFA drinking water contamination from Stewart Air National Guard Base.

● POTENTIALLY FLOOD. A new Danskammer would be constructed on a known floodplain which was severely flooded less than a decade ago by Hurricane Sandy--and damaged the existing power plant to the extent it was slated to be sold for scrap.

● BE A STEP BACKWARD. A new Danskammer plant would need to be phased out no later than 2040 (per the NY’s state energy policy- the Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act), and likely sooner. If built, it will very likely be a stranded asset- the plant owners will declare bankruptcy and the surrounding community will be left holding the bag.