Rudy Mueller, candidate for NYS Assembly 150th District, well recognizes the crisis facing the Dunkirk community with NRG's recent "mothballing" and New York State's continued lack of energy highway infrastructure investments. As Chautauqua County's next Assemblyman, Mueller promises to find real solutions and deliver actual results for this area and western New York.
Mueller explains, "The reduction or closure of the NRG plant in Dunkirk will financially devastate many families, cripple our regional economy and drive local/county property taxes even higher. For years NRG has provided many good paying jobs, delivered affordable energy to the area and paid approximately 50 percent of Dunkirk's tax levy and many other taxes as well.
The Assemblyman candidate explained, "An immediate solution would be for NRG management to rehire the workers and resume previous levels of energy production as quickly as possible. However NRG could stand could lose hundreds of thousands of dollars over the next year or more. The more likely short term solution would be for the NYS Legislature to authorize a multi-year purchasing power agreement between the NYS Power Authority and NRG and other regional power plants. This solution would require legislation be drafted and passed through the Assembly and Senate and won't happen until possibly next year."
Mueller further stated, "Chautauqua County's current Assemblyman, who sits in the minority party, had absolutely no chance of passing this type of legislation in the Assembly. Senator Young introduced a Power Authority Agreement, Senate Bill 6842, but failed to deliver passage in the Senate this year. I support her efforts but highly recommend that she amend this Bill and incorporate the use of some biomass fuels (switchgrass and others) at these same power plants. Adding biomass fuels into the equation of coal burning power plan legislation will help strengthen our regional agricultural industry, create more local jobs, and garner the much needed legislative support. And just as important, electing a Chautauqua County Assemblyman who serves in the majority, will also make passage of this amended legislation in the Assembly much more plausible and probable next year."
Rudy concluded by saying, "It's up to the Chautauqua County voters in November. Do they want the status quo or do they want real answers and actual results from their NYS Legislators. I believe my election to the Assembly is Chautauqua County's best chance for legislative success in Albany."
