Press Release

Senator Gillibrand Visits Albany With Secretary Of Energy Granholm Highlighting New York State’s Historic Climate And Alternative Energy Investments

Jan 14, 2022

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand travelled across Albany with U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm to highlight how the historic climate investments of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Build Back Better Agenda will help lower energy costs, generate good-paying, union jobs and drive down air pollution across the Empire State. This visit follows Gillibrand’s invitation to Secretary Granholm to join her in New York State, a leader in alternative energy technology and hydrogen fuel production. They were joined by Governor Kathy Hochul and U.S. Representative Paul Tonko (NY-20) to highlight the climate goals set out by congressional leaders, Governor Hochul’s State of the State, and the Biden administration’s commitment to expanding renewable energy and deploying strong, secure power grids across the country. 

A staunch advocate for local manufacturing, unionized labor, and clean energy in Albany and across the state of New York, Senator Gillibrand was instrumental in securing $29.5 million in federal funding for the Port of Albany’s Offshore Wind Tower Manufacturing Port Project, which was successfully awarded through the Department of Transportation’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) Grant. This project will be critical in establishing an offshore wind supply chain in the United States and moving toward renewable energy. 

“It’s a great honor to welcome Secretary Granholm to my hometown of Albany to visit the Port of Albany and other key sites that exemplify the ingenuity happening in clean energy right here in New York State,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The Port of Albany will be home to some of the first manufacturers to make offshore wind towers in America and will solidify the Capital Region as a leader in renewable energy. That’s why I fought to bring $30 million home to kickstart this project. This federal investment is a testament to the innovation in our state and ambition to be a leader in clean, renewable energy. I will always be a fierce advocate for clean energy in the Senate, and I look forward to continuing this work alongside the Biden administration, Governor Hochul, and my congressional colleagues in our commitment to a greener future.”

“I want to thank Senator Gillibrand – a steadfast champion for New York workers and union members – for inviting me to Albany. I’d also like to thank Governor Hochul and Congressman Tonko – these leaders know that clean energy and energy efficiency means more jobs, healthier communities, and lower bills for New York families,” said Secretary Granholm. “Their support has been essential to this administration’s success in our first year—a year that saw 6.4 million new jobs. That’s the most jobs created in a single year under any president in history and we’re going to create millions more. The incredible projects happening here in Albany will help us reach our goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and powering over 10 million homes with clean, cheap offshore wind energy.”

We know what it takes to build and sustain for the future, it’s in our DNA as New Yorkers. By advancing these significant offshore wind projects, we can maintain our cadence for developing projects that will spur much-needed green job creation and investment, including in the Capitol region and at the Port of Albany,”  Governor Kathy Hochul said. “No state has felt the impacts of climate change more than New York State, and now we can continue to lead the way with our ambitious, nation-leading vision to transition to a renewable energy and a cleaner, greener future. I want to thank Secretary Granholm for visiting our great state to see this first hand and Senator Gillibrand and our colleagues in Congress for their tireless efforts to bring much needed federal funding back home to benefit all New Yorkers.” 

Our clean energy goals cannot be fully realized without strong partnerships across the local, state and federal levels,” Congressman Tonko said. “Today’s visits proved the strength of building those connections while showcasing a few of the cutting-edge projects and initiatives being developed by visionaries right here in our Capital Region. I’m proud of the work my colleagues and this administration have done to invest in these bold clean energy initiatives with the passage of the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. But we have much further to go. My heartfelt thanks to Secretary Granholm for her steadfast dedication in developing clean energy technologies, spurring job growth and strengthening our economy. I look forward to working alongside her as we carry the conversations of today back to Washington and continue pushing to build our nation back better than ever.”

Gillibrand joined Granholm, U.S. Representative Tonko and other local leaders to meet with workers and students at Hudson Valley Community College and tour the facilities of GE Global Research to highlight the historic climate investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. After months of negotiations, Gillibrand was instrumental in bringing home at least $27 billion in direct funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which will help New York State continue its legacy as a leader in alternative energy.

For her letter of support to Secretary Buttigieg for the Port Of Albany PIDP Grant, please click here.