Stephan Roundtree Jr. and Charles CallawayJuly 27, 2022
New York’s landmark climate law, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019, mandates that at a minimum 35 to 40 percent of the overall benefits of new clean-energy investments be directed to residents of disadvantaged communities, as defined by the state. Low-income communities and communities of color, who have long suffered disproportionate impacts from air pollution and shouldered undue energy burdens, have also lacked access to the decision-making process when it comes to the renewable-energy space. A main tenet of this legislation was ensuring they receive a seat at the table. But that goal remains elusive.
In December 2021, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the state’s energy regulatory body, released a roadmap detailing the…