The Environmental Energy Alliance of New York is an ad hoc, voluntary group of electric generating companies, transmission/ distribution companies and other providers of energy services in the State of New York whose primary purpose is to support and enhance the efforts of its members understanding of New York State environmental regulatory initiatives in order to permit them to more effectively formulate and achieve their business goals and proactively advocate cost-effective environmental regulations and policies. EEANY does not participate in legislative lobbying activities.
EEANY is organized into two components and companies join as members for either or both. One focuses on T&D-related environmental matters including MGP and the other focuses on generation-related environmental matters.
EEANY traces its origins to the New York Power Pool (NYPP). NYPP was formed in 1969 in response to the first Northeast Blackout. It was a cooperative venture staffed by personnel from NY utility companies (in fact personnel were still employed by the utility companies) that developed an organization to attempt to prevent another occurrence of a widespread blackout. In the 70’s, the utilities recognized the value of a cooperative organization to address New York environmental policy and research issues. The result was an Environmental Committee served by staff charged to maintain contacts with government agencies at all levels as well as provide a forum for New York companies to discuss common issues. When the utility companies in New York were de-regulated the Power Pool was disbanded.
EEANY was organized in 1999 because the de-regulated companies recognized the continuing need for contacts with state agencies and interaction with colleagues from other New York companies. The founding members of the Alliance were Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, New York Power Authority, Long Island Power Authority, New York State Electric & Gas Corporation, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. and Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation.
Originally Sandra Meier and John Holsapple were hired for the EEANY organization to continue the work they had been doing as leaders of the NYPP Environmental Committee. EEANY was initially set up as an unincorporated association with dues paid by member companies. The structure was similar to that of the NYPP.
EEANY was re-structured to become a LLC owned by the director in 2008. As a result EEANY essentially evolved into an independent contracting group with the narrow charge to maintain regulatory contacts with New York government agencies, track emerging regulatory initiatives, and facilitate interaction amongst its members.
Although the organization is independently owned, the members control operations. There is an administrative committee that provides overall direction and approves the budget. There are two general technical committees, one for generation and one for T&D that determine what technical issues should be addressed. There also are standing working groups such as air and water that focus on specific technical topics and ad hoc working groups for specific issues.
Organization
EEANY LLC is a limited liability corporation set up to administer EEANY business. It has no parent companies, and no publicly held corporation owns 10% or more of EEANY’s stock. EEANY LLC consultants are paid a retainer fee in return for a specified time commitment to provide member companies with regular updates and to address specific issues. Budgets include time for staff to devote additional time to special issues and to hire additional experts as the need arises. Money is also set aside for other projects as deemed necessary by the technical committees.
EEANY member company interactions are organized by committees. Each committee has a separate mailing list to try to focus response to specific concerns. The Administrative Committee has a single representative from each member company on the general committees that is responsible for oversight and budgetary considerations. There are two general committees: one for generation and one for T&D. These two committees address general issues as appropriate. Numerous representatives from each of the member companies actively participate on these committees and the technical working groups.
These are the standing technical working groups:
- Air for generation air-related issues,
- Water for water-specific generation and T&D issues,
- MGP for manufactured gas plant issues,
- Industrial waste for solid and hazardous waste disposal issues,
- Invasive Species , and
- Land-Use for T&D land use and forestry issues
Staff
Karl Schoeberl is the Director of T&D Environmental Programs. Karl was an environmental consultant from 1988 to 1992, and then in 1992 he joined the Environmental Affairs Division at Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation. He remained with Central Hudson until 2011. His primary responsibilities while at Central Hudson involved water quality and land use permitting issues for many years until he took over as Director of Environmental Affairs, managing the department with broad responsibilities for environmental compliance and permitting for the corporation.
Sandra Meier is the Director of Generation Environmental Programs. Sandra was employed as Environmental Management Specialist with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and as an Air Resource Specialist with the USDA Forest Service prior to joining the New York Power Pool (NYPP) and Empire State Electric Energy Research Corporation (ESEERCO) in 1991. Sandra managed air and water quality research and regulatory programs at NYPP/ESEERCO until utility deregulation when she and John Holsapple formed EEANY in 1999. Sandra left EEANY in 2008 to join NYSERDA where she managed many R&D environmental initiatives until 2015.