New Leadership in State Energy Policy Emerging

The Assembly, the Senate, the Governor's office, and the PSC will all have new leadership on energy matters in 2008.

• On February 6, 2008, Assemblyman Kevin A. Cahill was named as Chairman of the New York State Assembly Energy Committee. That post was filled for many years by Paul Tonko until he resigned to become President and CEO of NYSERDA.
  

• The Chairmanship of the State Senate Committee on Energy and Telecommunications is vacant at this time, due to the resignation of its past Chairman, Senator Wright.

• In January 2008 Garry Brown took office as the new Chairman of the PSC, the first Commissioner to be named by Governor Spitzer.
  

• In the Governor's office, Paul DeCotis became Deputy Secretary for Energy in December 2007.

Protection of consumers, particularly those with low incomes, will be a challenge for these new leaders in an era of rapidly rising energy costs. Also, achievement of new environmental goals and the need for more energy planning in the aftermath of electricity industry restructuring are likely to be on the energy agenda in the years ahead.