Language to Help Port Jeff Power Plant Fails to Make Final State Budget

Trying to strengthen language from t, Sen. Ken LaValle proposed putting those same incentives into the New York State budget this year. That attempt failed when the language was removed from the final version, according to director of communications for the senator, Drew Biondo.

Through tax breaks and credits drawn from the State’s existing brownfield clean-up program the senator hoped to garner corporate interest in repowering the old and ineffective plant.

When the senate, state assembly and the Governor all submit their proposed budgets, they get merged and according to Biondo, at that point language sometimes gets changed and items are dropped during negotiations.

"It’s when the horse trading goes on," he said.

The with more modern and efficient power sources, something LIPA Board Chairman Howard Steinberg said the utility wants to do.

“Whether it’s new technology, green technology, repowering, I think we have to look forward and be focused on much greater efficiency,” Steinberg .

Although the brownfield language did not make it into the budget, Biondo did say that LaValle expects to have news about the power plant by the end of the legislative session in late June but he did not give specifics.