Gov. Cuomo, please take advantage of the opportunity presented by vacancies on the Public Service Commission (PSC) to appoint “People’s Commissioners” committed to energy democracy and to serving the interests of the people and environment of New York State. The New York Energy Democracy Alliance and its allies believe People’s Commissioners are needed to counter 1) the excessive influence of corporate utilities and energy companies on the REV process, and 2) the institutional biases of policymakers whose market-centric approach to energy policy has been shaped by long careers at the world’s biggest banks.

The goals of the REV process would be best and most quickly served by a Public Service Commission that more broadly represents the people and the environment of New York State, and is not made up solely of people with vested interests in outdated energy systems.

Accordingly, we call on you to appoint People’s Commissioners who:
• Prioritize clean, democratically controlled energy solutions
• Represent the people of New York, rather than utilities; especially poor and working-class communities and communities of color
• Possess renewable energy expertise and understand the strategies needed to accommodate their widespread adoption and connection the grid
• Are committed to ensuring that all New Yorkers, regardless of income, race, or geography, benefit from the transition to a renewable energy economy
• Actively support a REV process that is Renewable, Equitable, Affordable, and Local (REAL)
• Understand the urgency of the threat posed by climate change, and are committed to rigorous, fact-based analysis and action
• Have no conflicts of interest through investments, board commitments, or past lobbying, and
• Are committed to ensuring transparency in the PSC.