Podcasts about build public renewables act

In this episode, I talk with Patrick Robbins of Public Power NY and Johanna Bozuwa of the Climate and Community Institute about New York's groundbreaking Build Public Renewables Act, which empowers the state's public utility to build clean energy at scale. We explore how this surprising legislative victory happened, the challenges of implementation, and why public ownership might be the key to making renewable energy both politically resilient and economically accessible. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

Eva is joined by Nancy Romer of the Professional Staff Congress, the 30,000 member labor union of faculty and staff of the City University of New York. She chairs its Environmental Justice Working Group that is leading the effort to cut fossil fuel use at the 25 campuses of CUNY. Key to their efforts is pressuring the New York Power Authority, which is required by the Build Public Renewables Act to generate more of its electricity from renewable sources. The complex interplay of faculty, staff, students, administrators, city and state government, and the utility is capably explained by Nancy, a professor for 42 years.   Links: ●      PSC EJWG https://psc-cuny.org/environmental-justice-committee/ ●      Build Public Renewables Act, highlights https://publicpowerny.org/legislation/ ●      New York Power Authority https://www.nypa.gov/ ●      NYPA strategic plan (draft) https://www.nypa.gov/-/media/nypa/documents/document-library/renewables/NYPA-Renewables-Draft-Strategic-Plan ●      350 Brooklyn's guide to commenting on NYPA plan https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oirScRCVEKeAsE9IxWQ8xOpWWG383QIioj0ZVQmsOPw/edit?tab=t.0 ●      NYPIRG https://www.nypirg.org/ ●      Sunrise https://www.sunrisemovement.org/ ●      TREEage https://www.treeageteam.org/ ●      United Federation of Teachers https://www.uft.org/get-involved/uft-campaigns/carbon-free-and-healthy-schools ●      New York Renews https://alignny.org/campaign/new-york-renews/ ●      Climate Works for All https://www.nyclimateworks.org/ ●      Public Power New York https://publicpowerny.org/

Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine, First, Mark Dunlea reports on hearings that the New York Power Authority is holding for the public to comment on its recently released draft plan to implement the Build Public Renewables Act. Then, participants of an upcoming protest against the Matisyahu (Maht-is-yah-hu) performance at The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall tell us about why they want this performance canceled. Later on, Roaming Labor Correspondent Willie Terry speaks with Mark Emanatian, Executive Director of The Capital District Area Labor Federation, about their upcoming Thanksgiving Mass Food Distribution. After that, on the Albany Comedy interview Corner, Juan Pantaleon welcomes Local Comedian Alana Gill to the program. Finally, Thom Francis welcomes writer, poet, author, educator, and artist Elizabeth Gordon.

President Muhammad Faridi hosts Rich Miller (former Chief of Energy Policy for New York City and former Vice President of Energy and Environmental Law at Con Edison) and Robie Craig (Senior Energy Council at the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services), Co-Chairs of the City Bar Energy Law Committee. The conversation touches on various aspects of energy policy and its relevance to New York City, including historical perspectives on power generation, the current shift towards clean energy, and the implementation of regulatory mandates such as the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) and the Build Public Renewables Act. Muhammad, Rich and Robie also explore the city's efforts to balance environmental justice with the need for reliable energy supply, the role of Con Edison, challenges posed by intermittent renewable sources, and the steps New York City is taking to support electric vehicle adoption. Access a transcript of this episode here: https://bit.ly/3XhBhtK Want to learn more about the impact of energy decisions and environmental justice? Join us at the City Bar's upcoming programs: The Professional Duty of Lawyers and Bar Associations in Action on Climate on September 23 (https://bit.ly/3XsQhFh) and Economic and Environmental Impacts of State and City Funded Remediation Programs on Environmental Justice Communities in NYC on October 29 (https://bit.ly/3XrirQL). Visit nycbar.org/events to find all of the most up-to-date information about our upcoming programs and events. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 03:46 Understanding DCAS and Con Edison 11:15 New York City's Energy Landscape 16:58 Historical Perspective: The Birth of Electricity in NYC 23:52 Regulatory Framework and Environmental Justice 35:49 Future of Clean Energy and Transportation in NYC 49:03 Committee Focus and Closing Remarks

Eco-Socialists Call on CUNY, Gov. Hochul to Embrace Potential of NY's Build Public Renewables Act by The Indypendent

2023 was the hottest year on record and for many people across the country being able to afford  their utility bills to cool or heat their homes during the more extreme temperatures caused by climate change is becoming a possibly deadly challenge. Last year, Maine DSA was part of a statewide coalition called Pine Tree Power that attempted to take over the two largest corporate utilities in the state through a ballot measure in November. They didn't win. But here on Revolutions Per Minute we are just as interested in talking about losses as we are victories. Tonight, we'll go to Maine and talk with Aarron and Dwight about the struggles of organizing in a rural state and the lessons they learned from their Public Power campaign. We'll also check in with Chen from the New York City EcoSocialist Working Group for an update on the state of renewable energy development in New York (spoiler alert: the private market is in shambles) and what comes next for implementing the Build Public Renewables Act. Follow Maine DSA and our guests at @DSA_Maine, @bioleera, and @dwobbsy.Follow New York City EcoSocialist Working Group at @NYCDSA_Ecosoc

First, we go to CUNY, the City University of New York. For the past months it's been a flashpoint in the battle over campus free speech during a time of war. At Hunter College on the Upper East Side, the campus has been roiled by the administration's flip-flopping on whether they will allow a film that's critical of Israel to be shown. And at Baruch College in Lower Manhattan, top officials there canceled a teach-in on Gaza by members of that school's history department. We are joined by Tami Gold, Professor of Film and Media Studies at Hunter College, Johanna Fernandez, Professor of History at Baruch College and author of The Young Lords: A Radical History and Safa Khan, a student at Baruch College. Then, this week, diplomats, world leaders and a small army of fossil fuel industry lobbyists have gathered in the United Arab Emirates, or UAE, for the 28th annual U.N. climate summit. There's no sign that progress will be made on reaching new agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stabilize soaring global temperatures. We are joined by Tefa Galvis, a member of the eco-socialist working group of the NYC chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. Last year, the eco-socialists were a key part of a coalition of groups that persuaded the New York state legislature to pass the revolutionary Build Public Renewables Act. Lastly we speak with Savitri D. and Reverend Billy Talen of the Church of Stop Shopping, a good friends of The Indy that are always on the cutting edge of social movements.

This week, diplomats, world leaders and a small army of fossil fuel industry lobbyists have gathered in the United Arab Emirates, or UAE, for the 28th annual U.N. climate summit. There's no sign that progress will be made on reaching new agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stabilize soaring global temperatures. We are joined by Tefa Galvis, a member of the eco-socialist working group of the NYC chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. Last year, the eco-socialists were a key part of a coalition of groups that persuaded the New York state legislature to pass the revolutionary Build Public Renewables Act.

"We have passed the Build Public Renewables Act which mandates and requires the state's power authority the New York State Power Authority to build its own publicly funded renewables: renewable energy, wind, and solar. And this was a long, long hard hard-fought victory. And to say how it happened, we need to think back to the early Bernie days just after the Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. Obviously, people were very disappointed that Bernie Sanders didn't win, but a lot of people were also very politicized by that campaign and by that moment. And so a lot of people were joining DSA (Democratic Socialists of America). At the same time, a lot of young people were becoming very aware and very anxious, disturbed, and deeply depressed by the climate crisis."In this episode of the Speaking Out of Place podcast, Professor David Palumbo-Liu interviews Liza Featherstone about Build Public Renewables Act. It's a huge victory for ecosocialists, and for everybody in New York, that came with the passage of a bold piece of legislation, the Build Public Renewables Act, or BPRA. Featherstone explains the genesis of the bill, and the specific wrk that activists put into its passage. What obstacles did they confront, how did they work together to overcome those obstacles, and what can other environmental activists learn from this historic moment?Liza Featherstone is the author of Divining Desire: Focus Groups and the Culture of Consultation, published by O/R Books in 2018, as well as Selling Women Short: the Landmark Battle for Workers' Rights at Walmart (Basic Books, 2004). She co-authored Students Against Sweatshops (Verso, 2002) and is editor of False Choices: the Faux Feminism of Hillary Rodham Clinton (Verso, 2016). She's currently editing a collection of Alexandra Kollontai 's work for O/R Books and International Publishers and writing the introduction to that volume.Featherstone's work has been published in Lux, TV Guide, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Ms., the American Prospect, Columbia Journalism Review, Glamour, Teen Vogue, Dissent, the Guardian, In These Times, and many other publications. Liza teaches at NYU's Literary Reportage Program as well as at Columbia University School for International and Public Affairs. She is proud to be an active member of the New York City Democratic Socialists of America and of UAW local 7902.https://publicpowerny.org/legislationwww.orbooks.com/catalog/divining-desire-liza-featherstonehttps://twitter.com/lfeatherzwww.palumbo-liu.com https://speakingoutofplace.comhttps://twitter.com/palumboliu?s=20

In this episode of the Speaking Out of Place podcast, Professor David Palumbo-Liu interviews Liza Featherstone about Build Public Renewables Act. It's a huge victory for ecosocialists, and for everybody in New York, that came with the passage of a bold piece of legislation, the Build Public Renewables Act, or BPRA. Featherstone explains the genesis of the bill, and the specific wrk that activists put into its passage. What obstacles did they confront, how did they work together to overcome those obstacles, and what can other environmental activists learn from this historic moment?Liza Featherstone is the author of Divining Desire: Focus Groups and the Culture of Consultation, published by O/R Books in 2018, as well as Selling Women Short: the Landmark Battle for Workers' Rights at Walmart (Basic Books, 2004). She co-authored Students Against Sweatshops (Verso, 2002) and is editor of False Choices: the Faux Feminism of Hillary Rodham Clinton (Verso, 2016). She's currently editing a collection of Alexandra Kollontai 's work for O/R Books and International Publishers and writing the introduction to that volume.Featherstone's work has been published in Lux, TV Guide, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Ms., the American Prospect, Columbia Journalism Review, Glamour, Teen Vogue, Dissent, the Guardian, In These Times, and many other publications. Liza teaches at NYU's Literary Reportage Program as well as at Columbia University School for International and Public Affairs. She is proud to be an active member of the New York City Democratic Socialists of America and of UAW local 7902."We have passed the Build Public Renewables Act which mandates and requires the state's power authority the New York State Power Authority to build its own publicly funded renewables: renewable energy, wind, and solar. And this was a long, long hard hard-fought victory. And to say how it happened, we need to think back to the early Bernie days just after the Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. Obviously, people were very disappointed that Bernie Sanders didn't win, but a lot of people were also very politicized by that campaign and by that moment. And so a lot of people were joining DSA (Democratic Socialists of America). At the same time, a lot of young people were becoming very aware and very anxious, disturbed, and deeply depressed by the climate crisis."https://publicpowerny.org/legislationwww.orbooks.com/catalog/divining-desire-liza-featherstonehttps://twitter.com/lfeatherzwww.palumbo-liu.com https://speakingoutofplace.comhttps://twitter.com/palumboliu?s=20

In this episode of the Speaking Out of Place podcast, Professor David Palumbo-Liu interviews Liza Featherstone about Build Public Renewables Act. It's a huge victory for ecosocialists, and for everybody in New York, that came with the passage of a bold piece of legislation, the Build Public Renewables Act, or BPRA. Featherstone explains the genesis of the bill, and the specific wrk that activists put into its passage. What obstacles did they confront, how did they work together to overcome those obstacles, and what can other environmental activists learn from this historic moment?Liza Featherstone is the author of Divining Desire: Focus Groups and the Culture of Consultation, published by O/R Books in 2018, as well as Selling Women Short: the Landmark Battle for Workers' Rights at Walmart (Basic Books, 2004). She co-authored Students Against Sweatshops (Verso, 2002) and is editor of False Choices: the Faux Feminism of Hillary Rodham Clinton (Verso, 2016). She's currently editing a collection of Alexandra Kollontai 's work for O/R Books and International Publishers and writing the introduction to that volume.Featherstone's work has been published in Lux, TV Guide, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Ms., the American Prospect, Columbia Journalism Review, Glamour, Teen Vogue, Dissent, the Guardian, In These Times, and many other publications. Liza teaches at NYU's Literary Reportage Program as well as at Columbia University School for International and Public Affairs. She is proud to be an active member of the New York City Democratic Socialists of America and of UAW local 7902."We have passed the Build Public Renewables Act which mandates and requires the state's power authority the New York State Power Authority to build its own publicly funded renewables: renewable energy, wind, and solar. And this was a long, long hard hard-fought victory. And to say how it happened, we need to think back to the early Bernie days just after the Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. Obviously, people were very disappointed that Bernie Sanders didn't win, but a lot of people were also very politicized by that campaign and by that moment. And so a lot of people were joining DSA (Democratic Socialists of America). At the same time, a lot of young people were becoming very aware and very anxious, disturbed, and deeply depressed by the climate crisis."https://publicpowerny.org/legislationwww.orbooks.com/catalog/divining-desire-liza-featherstonehttps://twitter.com/lfeatherzwww.palumbo-liu.com https://speakingoutofplace.comhttps://twitter.com/palumboliu?s=20

In this episode of the Speaking Out of Place podcast, Professor David Palumbo-Liu interviews Liza Featherstone about Build Public Renewables Act. It's a huge victory for ecosocialists, and for everybody in New York, that came with the passage of a bold piece of legislation, the Build Public Renewables Act, or BPRA. Featherstone explains the genesis of the bill, and the specific wrk that activists put into its passage. What obstacles did they confront, how did they work together to overcome those obstacles, and what can other environmental activists learn from this historic moment?Liza Featherstone is the author of Divining Desire: Focus Groups and the Culture of Consultation, published by O/R Books in 2018, as well as Selling Women Short: the Landmark Battle for Workers' Rights at Walmart (Basic Books, 2004). She co-authored Students Against Sweatshops (Verso, 2002) and is editor of False Choices: the Faux Feminism of Hillary Rodham Clinton (Verso, 2016). She's currently editing a collection of Alexandra Kollontai 's work for O/R Books and International Publishers and writing the introduction to that volume.Featherstone's work has been published in Lux, TV Guide, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Ms., the American Prospect, Columbia Journalism Review, Glamour, Teen Vogue, Dissent, the Guardian, In These Times, and many other publications. Liza teaches at NYU's Literary Reportage Program as well as at Columbia University School for International and Public Affairs. She is proud to be an active member of the New York City Democratic Socialists of America and of UAW local 7902."We have passed the Build Public Renewables Act which mandates and requires the state's power authority the New York State Power Authority to build its own publicly funded renewables: renewable energy, wind, and solar. And this was a long, long hard hard-fought victory. And to say how it happened, we need to think back to the early Bernie days just after the Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. Obviously, people were very disappointed that Bernie Sanders didn't win, but a lot of people were also very politicized by that campaign and by that moment. And so a lot of people were joining DSA (Democratic Socialists of America). At the same time, a lot of young people were becoming very aware and very anxious, disturbed, and deeply depressed by the climate crisis."https://publicpowerny.org/legislationwww.orbooks.com/catalog/divining-desire-liza-featherstonehttps://twitter.com/lfeatherzwww.palumbo-liu.com https://speakingoutofplace.comhttps://twitter.com/palumboliu?s=20

In this episode of the Speaking Out of Place podcast, Professor David Palumbo-Liu interviews Liza Featherstone about Build Public Renewables Act. It's a huge victory for ecosocialists, and for everybody in New York, that came with the passage of a bold piece of legislation, the Build Public Renewables Act, or BPRA. Featherstone explains the genesis of the bill, and the specific wrk that activists put into its passage. What obstacles did they confront, how did they work together to overcome those obstacles, and what can other environmental activists learn from this historic moment?Liza Featherstone is the author of Divining Desire: Focus Groups and the Culture of Consultation, published by O/R Books in 2018, as well as Selling Women Short: the Landmark Battle for Workers' Rights at Walmart (Basic Books, 2004). She co-authored Students Against Sweatshops (Verso, 2002) and is editor of False Choices: the Faux Feminism of Hillary Rodham Clinton (Verso, 2016). She's currently editing a collection of Alexandra Kollontai 's work for O/R Books and International Publishers and writing the introduction to that volume.Featherstone's work has been published in Lux, TV Guide, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Ms., the American Prospect, Columbia Journalism Review, Glamour, Teen Vogue, Dissent, the Guardian, In These Times, and many other publications. Liza teaches at NYU's Literary Reportage Program as well as at Columbia University School for International and Public Affairs. She is proud to be an active member of the New York City Democratic Socialists of America and of UAW local 7902."We have passed the Build Public Renewables Act which mandates and requires the state's power authority the New York State Power Authority to build its own publicly funded renewables: renewable energy, wind, and solar. And this was a long, long hard hard-fought victory. And to say how it happened, we need to think back to the early Bernie days just after the Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign. Obviously, people were very disappointed that Bernie Sanders didn't win, but a lot of people were also very politicized by that campaign and by that moment. And so a lot of people were joining DSA (Democratic Socialists of America). At the same time, a lot of young people were becoming very aware and very anxious, disturbed, and deeply depressed by the climate crisis."https://publicpowerny.org/legislationwww.orbooks.com/catalog/divining-desire-liza-featherstonehttps://twitter.com/lfeatherzwww.palumbo-liu.com https://speakingoutofplace.comhttps://twitter.com/palumboliu?s=20

Today we talk with Liza Featherstone about this huge victory for ecosocialists, and for everybody actually, in New York, that came with the passage of a bold piece of legislation, the Build Public Renewables Act, or BPRA. Featherstone explains the genesis of the bill, and the specific wrk that activists put into its passage. What obstacles did they confront, how did they work together to overcome those obstacles, and what can other environmental activists learn from this historic moment?Liza Featherstone is the author of Divining Desire: Focus Groups and the Culture of Consultation, published by O/R Books in 2018, as well as Selling Women Short: the Landmark Battle for Workers' Rights at Walmart (Basic Books, 2004).  She co-authored Students Against Sweatshops (Verso, 2002) and is editor of False Choices: the Faux Feminism of Hillary Rodham Clinton (Verso, 2016). She's currently editing a collection of Alexandra Kollontai 's work for O/R Books and International Publishers and writing the introduction to that volume. Featherstone's work has been published in Lux, TV Guide, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Ms., the American Prospect, Columbia Journalism Review, Glamour, Teen Vogue, Dissent, the Guardian, In These Times, and many other publications.  Liza teaches at NYU's Literary Reportage Program as well as at Columbia University School for International and Public Affairs. She is proud to be an active member of the New York City Democratic Socialists of America and of UAW local 7902.

As the Writers Guild of America strike enters its eighth week, David Sirota sits down with writer, director, musician, and activist Boots Riley to discuss the ongoing labor struggle, as well as his radical new TV show. In all of Boots' work runs a deep commitment to social justice and organized labor. In 2018, Boots released the celebrated film Sorry to Bother You, an absurdist dark comedy about race and class politics set in the world of telemarketing. Now, Boots speaks with David about his fantastical new TV series I'm A Virgo, which is garnering rave reviews.Boots also discusses his roots in political activism and the importance of the writers strike and how its visibility is crucial to the resurgent U.S. labor movement.A transcript of this episode is available here.Links: ‘Sorry To Bother You' Director Boots Riley On WGA Strike, Struggle, Solidarity, Sacrifice & AI – Guest Column (Deadline, 2023) I'm A Virgo (Prime Video, 2023) BONUS: On next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever's supporting subscribers, we'll be sharing our interview with Brandon Tizol, a New York-based organizer who was part of the campaign to pass the Build Public Renewables Act in the state.If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.If you'd like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

We talk about the Rent Guidelines Board which meets today, June 21, to vote on how high rents will be allowed to go up this year and next for New York's nearly 1 million rent-stabilized apartments. Tenants are urging the RGB to scrap proposed rent hikes of as much as 7% and freeze rents or even roll them back. Then, we will get an update on the just-completed state legislative session in Albany from democratic socialist State Senator Kristin Gonzalez. We talk about the Build Public Renewables Act, the New York Power Authority, the failure to pass Good Cause Eviction and more. In the last segment of the show, we speak with John Teufel, the author of the cover story in this month's Indypendent that takes a look at the completely broken process for how the NYPD disciplines, or not, officers accused of serious misconduct. John has followed the NYPD closely over the past 20 years; we also talk about the surprise resignation last week of Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell.

We get an update on the just-completed state legislative session in Albany from democratic socialist State Senator Kristin Gonzalez. We talk about the Build Public Renewables Act, the New York Power Authority, the failure to pass Good Cause Eviction and more.

This week we welcome back Professor Randall Kennedy to help us pay tribute to three principled, uncompromising African American activists, Glen Ford of Black Agenda Report, human rights champion, Randall Robinson, and legendary actor, singer, and activist, Harry Belafonte.Randall Kennedy is Michael R. Klein Professor at Harvard Law School where he teaches courses on contracts, criminal law, and the regulation of race relations. He is the author of several books, including Contracts: Happiness and Heartbreak, For Discrimination: Race, Affirmative Action, and the Law, and Say It Loud! On Race, Law, History, and Culture.You've chosen three very interesting people [Randall Robinson, Harry Belafonte, and Glen Ford]. And I think that one thing that the listeners should keep in mind is that the three that you've chosen are all progressive; they are very different… Because the tent of progressivism should be a large tent— not everybody's going to think the same, and indeed there's going to be some friction between various tendencies among progressives.Randall KennedyI don't think that progressives pay enough attention to the people who have been in their camp. We don't pay enough attention to people who have passed away. We don't pay enough attention to recalling people who have been heroic in our midst. And, again, I say this as a person who is sometimes extremely critical of some of the people that you've mentioned.Randall KennedyWe need people like Glen Ford to pull in one direction uncompromisingly—because the corporate interests always pull in the other direction uncompromisingly—and then we need people who are in between and sometimes have to face the hard realities you've pointed out.Ralph NaderIn Case You Haven't Heard1. The Wall Street Journal and the Corporate Crime Reporter have announced that, following decades of citizen pressure, and action last year by Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, Senator Richard Blumenthal, and Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin, the Department of Justice has finally created a Corporate Crime Database. Under President Biden, the Justice Department has taken a tougher rhetorical stance on corporate crime, but as Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco notes, the department “cannot ignore the data showing overall decline in corporate criminal prosecutions over the last decade...We need to do more and move faster.” Among civic groups, The Center for Study of Responsive Law and Public Citizen lead the charge to create these corporate rap sheets and are already working to expand and strengthen this new resource for corporate crime data.2. If you live on the East Coast, you have likely experienced dangerous levels of air pollution in the last week due to smoke moving South from Canadian wildfires. Yet, the Lever reports that under current air quality rules, fossil fuel producers will not have to curb their emissions to offset this spike in air pollution because they have successfully lobbied for a loophole protecting themselves in the case of “exceptional events” outside their control. Environmental regulators are currently mulling a new rule to clamp down on this type of air pollution, but face stiff opposition from industry groups.3. The Washington Post reports that, in an exercise of his leverage in the tightly divided Senate, Bernie Sanders has vowed to oppose all Biden health nominees until the administration produces a “comprehensive” plan to lower prescription drug prices. Sanders' role as Chair of the Health Education Labor and Pensions committee means these nominees cannot advance without his blessing. This notably includes Biden's nominee for director of the National Institutes of Health, or NIH. Sanders said “Politicians for years have talked about the high cost of prescription drugs, relatively little has been done, and it's time that we act decisively.”4. The Progressive International has issued a statement decrying the “soft coup” underway against left-wing President Gustavo Petro in Colombia. Their statement reads “Ever since the election of the country's first progressive government...Colombia's traditional powers have been organizing to restore an order marked by extreme inequality, environmental destruction, and state-sponsored violence.” The statement goes on to excoriate officials who have sought to undermine the Petro administration and “former generals, colonels, and members of the Colombian military [who] have not only proclaimed their opposition to President...Petro — but even marched outside Congress to call for a coup d'état against his government.” Signatories to this letter include over 400 political and industrial leaders, including Noam Chomsky, Jeremy Corbyn, Jean Luc Mélenchon, and Former Leftist President of Ecuador Rafael Correa.5. The City, a news site covering New York, reports that food delivery drivers in NYC have won a substantial wage increase. This victory caps off a 3-year long campaign by Los Deliveristas Unidos, and makes New York the “first major U.S. city to establish and implement pay requirements for delivery workers.” These workers currently take home about $11 per hour; this will go up to $17.96 an hour starting July 12th, and will increase to $19.96 per hour by 2025.6. In a surprise decision last week, the Supreme Court voted five-four in favor of Black voters in Alabama who argued the state had unlawfully diluted their voting power, POLITICO reports. Over a quarter of Alabama residents are Black, but the state crammed most Black Alabamians into a single congressional district following the 2020 census, running afoul of the Voting Rights Act. Many expected the ultra-conservative court to reject the challenge and further hollow out the VRA; instead, this ruling could significantly augment the chances of Democrats retaking the House in 2024.7. In Afghanistan, the Taliban has instituted a “highly successful” ban on opium. To cite one example, “In Helmand, by far Afghanistan's largest opium-producing province, the area of poppy cultivation was cut from over 129,000 hectares in 2022 to only 740 as of April 2023.” However, some in the West – including the US Institute for Peace – believe this could have disastrous implications for the Afghan economy. It remains to be seen whether the new government can find a viable economic alternative fast enough to offset these losses. The Taliban had previously banned opium cultivation when they held power in 2000 and 2001, and achieved a 90% reduction at that time.8. New York Governor Kathy Hochul is again licking her wounds after her nominee for the New York Power Authority was blocked by the State Senate, in a similar fashion as her nominee for the New York Court of Appeals, the highest court in the state. Justin Driscoll, whom Hochul had appointed on an interim basis and was seeking to appoint permanently, raised red flags with New York Senate Democrats due to his ingratiation in conservative politics – Driscoll is a registered Republican who has ties to figures like Chris Christie and John Cornyn. Driscoll also opposed the Build Public Renewables Act and has been embroiled in accusations of racial discrimination during his time as general counsel for the Power Authority. On June 9th, POLITICO reported that Senate Democrats will not schedule a vote for Driscoll.9. Projectionists at an Alamo Drafthouse movie theater in New York City have filed an NLRB petition to unionize. However, instead of coming to the negotiating table, the theater chain sent out an internal email “notifying staff of the company's intention to do away with the projectionist position and replace it with a more expansive ‘technical engineer' role.” This reflects how the struggle for labor rights in entertainment goes far beyond Hollywood writers and actors. This from 1010 Wins.10. Last week, Henry Kissinger – President Nixon's controversial National Security Advisor and alleged war criminal – celebrated his 100th birthday. The Real News Network reports that this centennial bash was attended by some of the most prominent diplomatic figures in the country, including Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and head of the international development agency USAID, Samantha Power. Jonathan Guyer of VOX, documented many other attendees as well, including Larry Summers, Robert Kraft, General David Petreaus, CIA Director Bill Burns, and Michael Bloomberg. The gang's all here! Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Lizzy Oh (@breadpipeline) and Stylianos Karolidis (@stylianos_k) from NYC-DSA (@nycDSA) join Jorge to discuss the historic passing of the Build Public Renewables Act, the first real step towards an equitable climate transition. In the episode, Lizzy and Stylianos walk through the history of the campaign, what it took to win, and how you can reproduce the lessons learned there to any organizing campaign. How is the Build Public Renewables Act and the Green New Deal related to socialism? Is this just a social democratic reform or is there an opportunity for revolutionary change? How can we connect this with anti-imperialism? Tune in to find out the answer to these questions and more. Checkout the podcast Stylianos does: Left on Red. Follow us on Twitter: @ELCpod Follow us on IG: everybodylovescommunism Sign up as a supporter at fans.fm/everybodylovescommunism or Patreon.com/everybodylovescommunism to unlock tons of bonus content and our Discord community! Like what you heard? Be sure to give us a 5 Star Rating on Apple Podcasts!

David sits down with prominent investigative journalist Leslie Kean, who earlier this month published a blockbuster report about a potential secret government UFO effort. According to Kean and her co-author, a former U.S. intelligence official-turned-whistleblower recently gave Congress classified information about covert programs that he says possess intact and partially intact aircraft of non-human origin.Kean has become known for her diligent reporting on UFOs (they're now officially called “unidentified anomalous phenomena,” or UAP) and how the government is hiding information about them from the public. David and Leslie dig into her new story as well as the long history of UFO sightings and official obfuscation: What does the government know? How long have they known it? And why aren't they telling us? A transcript of this episode is available here.Links: Intelligence Officials Say U.S. Has Retrieved Craft Of Non-Human Origin (The Debrief, 2023) Why The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Politico Didn't Publish a Seemingly Bombshell Report About UFOs (Vanity Fair, 2023) Glowing Auras and ‘Black Money': The Pentagon's Mysterious U.F.O. Program (The New York Times, 2017) BONUS: Next Monday's bonus episode of Lever Time Premium, exclusively for The Lever's supporting subscribers, will explore the Build Public Renewables Act — a landmark piece of climate legislation recently passed in New York state — and include an interview with one of the organizers involved in the campaign.If you'd like access to Lever Time Premium, which includes extended interviews and bonus content, head over to LeverNews.com to become a supporting subscriber.If you'd like to leave a tip for The Lever, click the following link. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. levernews.com/tipjar

Tonight we are going to talk about winning. Earlier this month the Build Public Renewables Act passed through the New York State budget - a monumental victory for the Public Power NY Coalition that has been organizing for four years to pass the bill.No outlet has covered the fight for Public Power in New York more than Revolutions Per Minute. Since day one in 2019, we've had lead organizers of the campaign on the show to speak about why we need Public Power and how we were going to win it.Tonight on this special Best of BAI fund drive show - we'll revisit some of those interviews and hear from the organizers who won socialist climate legislation here in New York. We'll also hear past interviews with Assemblymembers Zohran Mamdani and Sarahana Shrestha If you've been listening along with us since day one, go to WBAI.org right now and make a donation to keep us on the air. You can follow the Public Power NY Coalition on twitter @PublicPowerNYTo learn more about how the Public Power NY Coalition won the Build Public Renewables Act watch BPRA: A Win in the Fight for a Green New Deal 

Last Wednesday, March 22, workers at two Trader Joe's locations announced they have filed petitions with the National Labor Relations Board to join the independent union Trader Joe's United. One, the College Avenue store in Oakland, California, would be the first unionized Trader Joe's in the company's home state. The other is located in our own backyard in the historic labor hotspot of the Lower East Side of Manhattan. We are tremendously excited for the over 300 workers who are facing this important step in their organizing and are sending all of our support and solidarity to Trader Joe's workers in Oakland and at the Essex St store. While Trader Joe's is beloved by many shoppers across the country for its colorful atmosphere, wide array of special snacks, and of course its famously low prices, workers at the national retail chain know very well the difficulties that lie behind Trader Joe's hibiscus curtain. Tonight on Revolutions per Minute we're live with Kelly and Chris, who have each worked and organized at a Trader Joe's location in New York City. We'll talk about the realities of life at TJ's and why it's critical to support retail, grocery, and service industry workers in the ongoing struggle for fair conditions, living wages, and dignity at work. We also hear an update from Lee Ziesche on the likely passage of the Build Public Renewables Act. *Please note that while we are in solidarity with Trader Joe's United, we are not members or representatives of the union.*

A new report found that not only is it possible for the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to replace all its fossil fuel generation with renewables by 2030, failure to do so will lose New Yorkers billions of dollars. Lizzie Oh of Public Power NY discusses the report and the Build Public Renewables Act with Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

First segment: Tenants of 1111 Ocean Ave, a 102-unit, 6-story building in Flatbush, announced a lawsuit last week against their landlord, Sam Wasserman, demanding immediate repairs to their apartments and an end to years of harassment. The building now has a record 572 violations, including 157 immediately hazardous conditions that include years-old leaks and massive ceiling collapses. With support from Flatbush Tenant Coalition, tenants at 1111 Ocean Ave have been fighting for years for repairs, and 16 of them have been on rent strike for over two years. We are joined by three of the rent strikers who are some of the most active members of the Tenant Association, Phyllis McQueen, Rita Kettrles and Janice Broadie. Second segment: The New York State Senate recently approved the Build Public Renewables Act. If enacted, the bill would supercharge the buildout of wind, solar and geothermal energy in New York and put it under publicly controlled, democratic management. However, some key unions have so far declined to support the measure as it heads to the State Assembly where it is likely to face more resistance.

The New York State Senate recently approved the Build Public Renewables Act. If enacted, the bill would supercharge the buildout of wind, solar and geothermal energy in New York and put it under publicly controlled, democratic management. However, some key unions have so far declined to support the measure as it heads to the State Assembly where it is likely to face more resistance.

Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine: We begin with Mark Dunlea joining us to talk about a Tuesday rally to urge President Biden to declare a climate emergency. Then, we hear excerpts from Senator Schumer's press conference announcing passage of the CHIPS Act supporting expansion of the computer chip industry here in New York and beyond. Later on, we have a report from a recent public hearing regarding New York's proposed Build Public Renewables Act. After that, our Roaming Labor Correspondent Willie Terry shifts gears to bring us part three of his coverage of poetry by D Colin and by Amani Olugbala. at a recent event at the Fish Market art space in Troy. Finally, retired meteorologist Hugh Johnson joins us for his regular weekly segment on climate and weather, looking once again at heat waves, to prepare us for the days ahead.

The push to expand public power has grown tremendously in New York in recent years. In June, the state Senate passed the Build Public Renewables Act to authorize the state (NYPA) to build renewable energy, something that the private sector has blocked. Despite a majority of Assemblymembers indicating they would vote for the measure, Speaker Carl Heastie refused to bring it for a vote but did allow a public hearing on the bill to be held on July 28. From the ten-hour hearing, we hear from Laurie Wheelock of the Public Utility Law Project; Megan Carr of NY Lawyers for the Public Interest; Conon Bambrick of Environmental Advocates; Xavier Kandler of New York Renews; Anne Reynolds of Alliance for Clean Energy; and Daniel Chu of NYC Environmental Justice Alliance. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk magazine

First, we commemorate Michael Lardner, founder and driving force behind the Marxist Education Project who died last Wednesday at 68. He hailed from a family of Michigan autoworkers and came to New York as a young man to work on the grapes boycott called by the United Farm Workers. In that same era, he helped found the New York Marxist School which became the Brecht Forum. When the Brecht Forum closed down in 2014, Michael stepped into a moment of great sadness and disappointment and launched the Marxist Education Project. We look at the ongoing struggle to unionize workers at starbucks franchises across the US. Starbucks Workers at 316 stores in 36 states have filed to unionize despite starbucks' aggressive anti-union campaign. So far, 201 Starbucks stores in 32 states have won union elections. Just 40 stores have lost an election. In retaliation, Starbucks has been union-busting. Among other tactics, they have fired worker-organizers and sometimes even closed down stores. Austin Locke, a key starbucks organizer, was fired from starbucks on July 5 just five days after his store on Starbucks at Ditmars Blvd and 31st Street in the Astoria, Queens won their union election 7-4. He speaks with us about his experience and updates us on the union fight. Advocates for the Build Public Renewables Act get another chance to make their case tomorrow. On Thursdays New York State Assembly will host an unprecedented mid-summer hearing on the BRPA. If passed and signed into law, the bill would greatly expand New York's public power system and the state's use of renewable energy sources. To discuss this, we speak with Sarahana Shrestha. She recently knocked off a 13-term State Assemblymember in her Hudson Valley district while running on the promise to fight for public power. Finally, we get a much-needed sermon from Reverend Billy Talen of the Church of Stop Shopping about their new “Earth Church” in a former bank building on the Lower East Side. Billy insists if we're going to survive the climate crisis, we will need soon need an Earth-centered cultural revolution.

Advocates for the Build Public Renewables Act get another chance to make their case tomorrow. On Thursdays New York State Assembly will host an unprecedented mid-summer hearing on the BRPA. If passed and signed into law, the bill would greatly expand New York's public power system and the state's use of renewable energy sources. To discuss this, we speak with Sarahana Shrestha. She recently knocked off a 13-term State Assemblymember in her Hudson Valley district while running on the promise to fight for public power.

Community News and Interviews for the Catskills & Northeast Pennsylvania

The elected officials of New York State ended their legislative session in Albany on June 2nd. They are headed home for the summer after failing to secure the rights of tenants or meeting New York state's climate goals, refusing to pass Good Cause Eviction and the Build Public Renewables Act. What happened? To try and answer this and more, we bring on socialist organizers  to break down what happened in Albany and how New York lawmakers left tenants and the climate out to dry. Tonight, we are joined by Avi, a tenant organizer fighting for the Right to Remain, and RPM's co-host and ecosocialist specialist, Lee Ziesche. We will assess the situation in Albany and the movement necessary, both inside and outside the halls of the State Capitol, to defeat the corporate opposition and make Good Cause and BPRA a reality in the Empire State.   Visit right2remain.com to learn more about the ongoing campaign to pass Good Cause Eviction legislation in New York state. On this show, Lee references the Sane Energy Project (saneenergy.org) and No NBK Pipeline Coalition (nonbkpipeline.org) as well as the NYC-DSA Ecosocialist Working Group (https://ecosocialists.nyc/). 

Climate activists hoped that Democratic super-majorities in the NY State Senate and State Assembly could deliver historic legislation that would greatly expand the state of New York's role in producing renewable energy, create tens of thousands of union jobs and lower rates for consumers. The Build Public Renewables Act did pass the Senate at the end of May but then died in the Assembly without receiving a vote before the legislature adjourned for the year. State Senator Jabari Brisport of Brooklyn and Illapa Sairitupac, a climate activist who is running for State Assembly in Lower Manhattan, join us to talk about the battle for public power in NY.

We start the show in Albany, where climate activists hoped that Democratic super-majorities in the State Senate and State Assembly could deliver historic legislation that would greatly expand the state of New York's role in producing renewable energy, create tens of thousands of union jobs and lower rates for consumers. The Build Public Renewables Act did pass the Senate at the end of May but then died in the Assembly without receiving a vote before the legislature adjourned for the year. State Senator Jabari Brisport of Brooklyn and Illapa Sairitupac, a climate activist who is running for State Assembly in Lower Manhattan, join us to talk about the battle for public power in NY. In the second half of the show, we talk about the new city budget that was passed Monday night. The $101 billion Fiscal Year 2023 budget includes full funding for the NYPD but cuts for a number of city agencies most notably the Department of Education while billions of federal stimulus money sits in coffers. We hear from Indypendent Editor-in-Chief John Tarleton about how budget passing works as well as from education advocates Leonie Haimson and Kaliris Salas-Ramirez, who are infuriated by the austerity budget cuts.

Emmet Penney returns to the Space Commune Podcast to cover topics: The battle between renewables vs. nuclear, Build Public Renewables Act in New York State, how to stop industrial decline, crisis rhetoric vs. the yolk of discipline, philosophical and socio-political discussion about energy, climate and the future. Follow Emmet on twitter: https://twitter.com/nukebarbarian Grid Brief: https://www.gridbrief.com/ Nuclear Barbarians Podcast: https://nuclearbarians.substack.com/

On June 2, the legislative session will end in New York State and elected officials will head home for the summer. And in typical Albany fashion, the fight to pass the most transformational bills is coming down to the wire. Tonight, we continue our series of interviews with the DSA for the Many slate of candidates with Vanessa Agudelo, who is joining us live on RPM from Peekskill, New York. Vanessa is running for Assembly District 95 in the Lower Hudson Valley. We'll talk to her about why Peekskill and the other communities she's running to represent need a Green New Deal, the status of the Build Public Renewables Act with one week left to pass the bill, and much more. For more info on Vanessa follow @VanessaBAgudelo on twitter and visit her website www.vanessaforny.com