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Elected Officials to Protect America (E.O.P.A.) in New York is a statewide, network of current and former New York State elected officials committed to protecting a healthy and prosperous environment for our communities.

Our Work

In New York State we educated and brought together elected officials to urge Governor Cuomo not to allow fracking in New York state. Our letter to the Governor asked him to maintain the moratorium on fracking until, and unless, proper studies had proven its safety for all New York citizens.

Since then, we have worked with elected officials across the state on divestment, on funding for renewables, electrification of buildings, offshore wind power, and the state’s Climate Action Plan. In 2024, we gave a press conference at the Capitol to educate lawmakers on electric vehicles during our EV East Coast Tour. Then we gave lawmakers the opportunity to drive in a EV.

We continue to progress educating elected officials on energy security solutions.

WE WON: NY PENSION FUND DIVESTS!

In December 2020, we celebrated a victory in New York with the Comptroller divesting the state’s pension fund from fossil fuels. Many groups came together, including EOPA New York, to make it happen. Our National Leadership Council Co-Chair, Former Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, authored the Divestment bill in the legislature, which was key to our success.

Support New York Offshore Wind

To achieve a carbon-free power grid by 2040, New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) set a nation-leading offshore wind mandate of 9,000 megawatts by 2035, enough to power 30% of New York State’s electricity needs or 6 million homes.

New York currently has five offshore wind projects in active development, which is one of the largest planned offshore wind deployments in the nation, totaling more than 4,300 megawatts (MW) and representing nearly half of our state’s 9,000 MW mandate.

Offshore wind development will directly benefit many of our communities across the state. For example, the Port of Albany was tapped by the Governor’s office as the country’s first wind tower assembly site, which will create up to 350 direct jobs in the area.

Offshore wind development will be a major economic driver for New York State, creating thousands of good-paying sustainable jobs, and billions in economic investment in port facilities that support the offshore wind industry, from Long Island to Albany and host of other supply chain businesses.

If you are a current or former New York elected official please sign our offshore wind letter to ensure this energy security solution happens.

Offshore wind Virtual Summit

E. O.P. A. hosted a NY and NJ Offshore Wind Virtual on March 27, 2024.

Federal, state, and local officials, including state lawmakers, local elected officials, state agency officials, industry representatives, and offshore wind experts discussed the imperative for offshore wind as an energy security soulution..

Featured News Coverage

“New York State’s pension fund, one of the world’s largest and most influential investors, will drop many of its fossil fuel stocks in the next five years and sell its shares in other companies that contribute to global warming by 2040, the state comptroller said on Wednesday.”

“With $226 billion in assets, New York’s fund wields clout with other retirement funds and its decision to divest from fossil fuels could accelerate a broader shift in global markets away from oil and gas companies, energy experts and climate activists said.” [Full New York Times story.]

New York’s $226 Billion Pension Fund Is Dropping Fossil Fuel Stocks

Story By Anne Barnard Dec. 9, 2020. Photo used for story by the New York Times.

See more coverage of our work.

About Elected Officials to Protect America New York

Welcome to Elected Officials to Protect New York – a statewide, non-partisan network of current and former New York State elected officials committed to protecting a healthy and prosperous environment for our communities.

EOPNY was founded in 2012 due to the growing concerns over fracking on public health, the environment, and our local economies. Our foundational letter, upon which our core membership was formed. Since then, we have worked tirelessly to protect the health, environment, and socioeconomic wellbeing of all the communities we serve.