Chenango board vows cleaner energy, but backs natural gas

Mar. 10—The Chenango County Board of Supervisors voted Monday, March 8, to accept the New York state Climate Smart Communities pledge to "reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build resiliency to the impacts of climate change" and "support a green innovation economy" with an added clause highlighting the county's reliance on natural gas.

The pledge, introduced at the board's February meeting, was proposed by the county Planning and Economic Development Committee in an effort to "reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate," according to the resolution.

The clause was introduced by Smyrna Town Supervisor Michael Khoury, who chairs the planning committee.

"Natural gas is a clean source of energy that runs our manufacturing plants and heats our homes and is recognized as an integral part of our pledge to pursue a 100% carbon-free renewable energy policy," he read.

"Of course we want to get to 100% carbon-free, but that's in 2040, so it just seems well-rounded and a more grounded pledge if we include our way of getting there," Khoury explained. "It's sending a message to our businesses that we know what it takes to run a manufacturing plant. We're not going to cut them off."

Many of the county's major manufacturing hubs, including GE Aerospace and the industrial park in Norwich, rely on natural gas, according to Chenango County Planning Director Shane Butler. Other major manufacturers, such as Chobani and the Raymond Corporation, do not.

Manufacturing accounts for about 30% of Chenango County's economic activity, according to Commerce Chenango President and CEO Kerri Green, who surmised that increasing the availability of natural gas in the area, if permitted, could help attract more industry.

"It's expensive to switch over to natural gas and it can be expensive to run on natural gas," Green said. "Natural gas isn't as prevalent anymore because we can't use it."

Chenango County is home to several horizontal natural gas wells that were drilled about 15 years ago, as hydrofracking was the subject of intense debate across the Southern Tier, according to Khoury.

Most of the wells were drilled in Smyrna, with others in Preston, Plymouth and the nearby Madison County town of Lebanon.

"They're operating at a very low level these days," Khoury said. "They're not operating like they used to."

A statewide fracking moratorium has been in place since 2008 and was made permanent with the passage of the 2021 Executive Budget.

"I think it's a mistake to add this. It's basically publicity for a certain kind of fossil fuel," said Columbus Town Supervisor Tom Grace, who voted against the addendum. "It does really advertise our position on this sort of thing, but I'm not really sure our position isn't going to change. It's counter to the spirit of this revolution."

The addition passed by a margin of 1,126 weighted votes to 417, with Preston Town Supervisor Pete Flanagan, Guilford Town Supervisor George Seneck, and James McNeil and Robert Jeffrey, who represent both districts of the city of Norwich, joining Grace in voting in opposition.

"This is just sort of a pledge of allegiance," Flanagan said. "You can look at it any way you want. There's nothing specific in the (resolution). There are some stupid things, like 'decrease energy use,' but there's nothing specific."

Among the other required elements are build a climate-smart community; inventory emissions, set goals and plan for climate action; shift to clean, renewable energy; use climate-smart materials management; implement climate-smart land use; enhance community resilience to climate change; support a green innovation economy; inform and inspire the public and engage in an evolving process of climate action.

"As we move forward, we're not quite ready to get rid of or find an alternative to natural gas," Khoury said.

Butler clarified that the addendum would not jeopardize any state funding or grants that could accompany the ratification of the climate pledge.

"It's a matter of understanding that in order to get to 100% renewable energy use, we have to somehow transition," Butler said. "Natural gas is kind of a bridge."

"This resolution offers no forms of energy that's being used," McNeil said. "It doesn't offer wind, it doesn't offer solar, hydroelectric, oil, coal — it's a generic resolution. I think it should be kept that way."

Citing the fourth element of the resolution, a "shift to clean, renewable energy," Khoury said, "I think the definitions are clear to everyone what those are: clean, renewable energy. Renewables — that's what it's all about."

Natural gas is considered a non-renewable energy source, along with oil and petroleum products, gasoline, diesel fuel, coal and nuclear power, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Renewable energy sources include biofuels, hydropower, wind, solar and geothermal energies.

Asked if the proposed change was discussed when the matter was referred back to committee last month, Khoury said, "Maybe I did not do my job in being persuasive enough."

"At this point, I'm looking at those who house large manufacturing facilities, who have businesses where manufacturing is so important," he said. "We're not giving up on saying we'll have clean energy, but at the same time, we're not giving up on renewables as well."

The board voted unanimously to accept the amended resolution.

Sarah Eames, staff writer, can be reached at [email protected] or 607-441-7213. Follow her @DS_SarahE on Twitter.