The “Walk the Talk Rally on Climate” took place on Monday, April 23 in response toplans to expand the New York Power Authority’s microplant on Sheridan Avenue in Albany.
Part of the Sheridan plant, which powers part of the Empire State Plaza, uses natural gas and relies on fracking.
The primary goal of the march is to stop the expansion of the Sheridan plant because that would mean the expansion and continued use of fracking.
There are secondary environmental goals as well. Stopping all fracking infrastructure, switch to 100 percent renewable energy throughout the state and “make corrupt polluters pay.” In response to the backlash against the expansion of the plant, the NYPA reports to plan on meeting with a “geothermal engineer and technical expert” to discuss the feasibility of using geothermal energy in the plant.
As of right now, the planning and construction of the project has been halted.
The march started at 12:00 p.m. in front of the plant on Sheridan Avenue and went to West Capital Park and ended at the Million Dollar Staircase inside of the Capitol.
The walk was co-sponsored by Sheridan Hollow Alliance for Renewable Energy (SHARE), Citizen Action of New York, Food and Water Watch, Environmental Advocates of New York, Sane Energy Project, New York Renews, Powerhouse Residence Community Association, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, Stop New York Fracked Gas Pipeline, Save the Pine Bush, Clean and Healthy New York, Solidarity Committee of the Capital District, A Village, Capital District Democratic Socialists and PAUSE.
Last year there was a similar march on April 22 called the “March for Science” which was meant to show public support of scientific studies that many people felt would face attack by the Trump administration.