Governor Andrew Cuomo and his Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) have corrected the course on one of the most controversial and environmentally dangerous proposals currently before the state: a permit to build an oil heating facility at the Port of Albany.

For Immediate Release: May 21, 2015

Major Course Correction by DEC on Crude Oil Proposal

Albany – Governor Andrew Cuomo and his Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) have corrected the course on one of the most controversial and environmentally dangerous proposals currently before the state: a permit to build an oil heating facility at the Port of Albany. 

This proposal by Global Partners, LLC. would facilitate the oil industry’s desire to ship Tar Sands crude oil down the Hudson River on its way to the global market. In their original review of the proposal, the DEC did not consider the full scope of climate, public health and environmental consequences and issued a “negative declaration” of the potential impacts. The DEC has announced they are rescinding their original negative declaration and requiring a full Environmental Impact Statement.

The following statement is attributable to Executive Director Peter Iwanowicz:

“This proposal was never about one facility in one city, and the oil industry knows that. They tried to slip this one by but the citizens of Albany and in other Hudson River communities stood up and said no to Tar Sands.

It is great that the DEC put the health of people and the health of New York’s environment first and will require that this proposal go through a full and comprehensive review. We need to know and avoid any impacts on our air, water, climate and public health before a decision is made to put Tar Sands on the Hudson.

We applaud Governor Cuomo and the DEC for correcting course and holding this industry accountable.”

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