Executive Speeches

Remarks of Eugene W. Zeltmann, president & chief executive officer of the New York Power Authority, at ceremonies marking New York City's designation as a Clean City by the U.S. Department of Energy, New York, New York

April 22, 2003 

Thank you and good morning. 

The New York Power Authority—under Governor Pataki’s leadership—is proud to have played a part in officially making this great city a Clean City.

As many of you know, the Power Authority supplies electricity to the city for public buildings, schools, subways, street lights and a host of other public facilities and purposes at savings of at least 25 percent.  But our role goes well beyond that.

Over the years, for example, we’ve helped to put close to 300 clean electric and hybrid-electric vehicles on the city’s streets.

Cars for the Police Department and trucks for the Parks Department.  Electric school buses and hybrid transit buses.  Delivery vans for the U.S. Postal Service.  And other vehicles that have made New York a cleaner city while cutting dependence on foreign oil.

In line with our Long-Term Energy Partnership Agreement with the city, we’ve earmarked a total of $500,000 to meet a portion of the costs of obtaining clean-fueled vehicles.  Thus far, the city has purchased more than 60 electric vehicles under just this program—a cooperative effort involving the federal and state governments and the city’s Department of Transportation.  The Power Authority has about $160,000 remaining for this initiative—so we hope to build on our shared successes.  

Meanwhile, with others here today, we’ve helped to implement a major truck-stop electrification program at the Hunts Point Cooperative Market in the Bronx—avoiding pollution from idling motors.  We’re moving ahead with the “NYPA-Think Clean Commute”—the nation’s largest electric vehicle station-car demonstration program—involving nearly 100 commuters at seven train stations in and around the city.  And—as America’s largest supplier of electricity for mass transit—we contribute to cleaner air in the city by keeping polluting cars and trucks off the roads.

We’ve also worked to improve the city’s air quality by completing energy-efficiency projects at schools and other public facilities.  By taking polluting coal-burning furnaces out of public schools.  And by putting super-efficient refrigerators into public housing.  These projects have cut annual emissions of greenhouse gases by nearly 375,000 tons.

We’re also completing installation of eight clean fuel cells in the city—to go with the three we now operate.  And we plan to add to our current group of three city solar energy projects.

The Power Authority is honored to participate in this most significant event.  We look forward to continuing our partnership to help make New York a still greater—and cleaner—city.

Thank you.