Oswego Fights For Upstate Energy Jobs
County IDA and Community Ask Governor Cuomo for Help in New Ad Campaign
County IDA and Community Ask Governor Cuomo for Help in New Ad Campaign
OSWEGO, N.Y., Nov. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency called on Governor Cuomo today to fight for Upstate New York and the thousands of families whose livelihoods depend on the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant in Scriba, N.Y. The agency backed this call with newspaper ads, a new website and an online video demonstrating the impact FitzPatrick has on the community, known as the Energy Capital of New York State.
"Governor Cuomo must find a way to keep FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant open," said Operation Oswego County Executive Director L. Michael Treadwell. "In addition to the 615 people working at the plant, more than 1,000 building tradesmen and skilled workers jobs hang in the balance. There are hundreds of other jobs – at hospitals, hotels, restaurants, and grocery stores – that are now at risk, too."
"We're going to fight for FitzPatrick's jobs, and we need Governor Cuomo with us," said Gary Toth of Carpenters Local 277. "He can make a deal with Entergy; he can revise the way carbon credits are administered; he can address the transmission constraints that keep power generated at FitzPatrick from reaching Downstate markets; or he can help find a buyer for this top-notch facility."
The ad campaign features Oswego County residents and business leaders, demonstrates the impact on a community of closing a nuclear power plant and asks readers to tell Governor Cuomo that New York State needs more clean power.
The website, www.upstateenergyjobs.com, explains how FitzPatrick's closure will cripple Upstate New York's economy and encourages visitors to make a difference by signing the Save FitzPatrick petition.
In the video, http://upstateenergyjobs.com/watch_the_video, Oswego County residents explain, in their own words, the devastating impact the shuttering of FitzPatrick will have on their community and livelihoods.
If James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant closes, it would be a devastating blow to a regional economy that's already lagging behind the rest of the state. The closure also means losing millions of dollars in economic activity and another crippling blow that will drive more highly trained workers and their families out of New York State.
"Oswego County already has the highest unemployment rate in New York State. The consequences of a FitzPatrick closure are unfathomable," continued Treadwell. "We are fighting for our community and need Governor Cuomo to do the same."
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151119/289483
SOURCE County of Oswego Industrial Development Agency
Share this article