Karben to Chair Assembly
Subcommittee on Renewable Energy
Mid-Hudson News, Weekend, June 4-5, 2005

Assemblyman Ryan Scott Karben Karben

Assemblyman Ryan Karben of Rockland County has been named chairman of the newly formed Assembly Subcommittee on Renewable Energy. Karben, who has served as a member of the Assembly's Energy Committee since 2003, was appointed by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to help lead efforts to implement a renewable energy strategy for the state.

"Rising gas prices and home utility bills are the best evidence of America's need for energy independence," said Karben.

"With the growing cost of gasoline and other energy fuels taking a bigger and bigger chunk of cash from the budgets of households, municipalities and businesses, it is clear that more attention must be paid to renewable energy sources," said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

Renewable energy sources are constantly replenished and will never run out, as opposed to nonrenewable energy sources, which are finite and will eventually dwindle. Renewable energy sources include solar energy, wind energy, biomass energy, hydrogen energy and geothermal energy.

Karben said that his committee will investigate how to encourage greater use of renewable energy by the public and private sectors, encourage energy efficiency, utilize renewable energy research and development as an economic development tool and examine ways to lessen New York's dependence on finite energy sources that are becoming too costly and detrimental to our environment.

"We are hopeful this new subcommittee will help the state to meet its goal of ensuring that by 2013, at least 25 percent of the electricity sold to consumers in New York State is generated by renewable resources," said Marcia Bystryn, executive director of the New York League of Conservation Voters.


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