Long Island Regional Analysis and Barriers Assessment Report
The Regional Assessment and Barriers Analysis (RABA) study seeks to better understand the potential barriers to the participation in clean energy programs and workforce development opportunities in the Long Island region. Read the executive summary below, or read the full text [pdf].
Executive Summary
Purpose and Objectives
In developing the Regional Assessment and Barrier Analysis (RABA), including extensive stakeholder surveys, the Long Island Clean Energy Hub (Hub) team has identified serious obstacles and exciting opportunities to expand the benefits of clean energy investments to all our residents. Seizing these opportunities is essential to our environmental and economic future. But overcoming the obstacles means nothing less than confronting historic patterns of segregation and other forms of systemic racism that have divided the region by race, income, and access to resources, and disadvantaged communities (DACs) continue to bear disproportionate burdens in virtually every aspect of life. Any series of strategies that shies away from acknowledging the realities of this history – and attacking them -- will be doomed to fail. We are determined to succeed to the best of our collective experience, expertise, and expertise. Our team hopes this RABA will be a “living,” ever-evolving document that learns and teaches as we strive to guide our plans for equitable outreach and engagement across Long Island.
We have found that some of the existing obstacles offer opportunities: The higher unemployment and lower income levels in majority-minority communities should aid in recruitment efforts for clean energy job training programs. The disproportionate prevalence of fuel oil and natural gas in homes and businesses leaves a lot of potential for conversions to cleaner sources.
Another positive outcome of the RABA process itself was the way our partners came together to produce the document. Experts and advocates with different agendas and expertise worked seamlessly to contribute to the specifics and sensibilities, raising our confidence in the ability of the team and region to advance our strategies in the months and years to come.
Even so, realizing our goals will not be easy. Although we are a state leader in clean job creation and other measures, the RABA tells us we have a long way to go before the benefits of the green energy revolution truly can be realized. As illustrative of the difficulties ahead, the rates of transition to clean energy in residential and commercial properties are not on track to comply with the Community Leadership and Climate Protection Act (CLCPA).
That is why, as we encourage residents and businesses to participate in the clean energy transition, the hub will largely focus its efforts on DACs. Thus, the RABA utilized a comprehensive baseline regional characterization, drawing on sociodemographic data, housing and infrastructure assessments, and environmental and health metrics to identify and analyze disparities between DACs and non-DACs in Long Island. Key data sources include U.S. Census data, Hub surveys, outreach events, one-on-one meetings, and regional economic and environmental reports.
Key Findings
Housing/ Renters and Landlords: The region’s housing stock is older and more energy-inefficient, particularly in DACs, where homes are less likely to be single-family detached units and more likely to be renter-occupied. Renters with landlords expressed many clean energy upgrades were beyond their reach without express permission from landlords. Further, many renters in DACs live in unauthorized housing and fear being penalized by their landlords, including eviction, and facing legal concerns for work done without their permission or without official permits
Data: As the Hub developed the RABA, we have highlighted data that we were unable to find or has yet to be collected. Having quicker access to accurate and up-to-date data will allow us to better hone messaging and targeting of specific groups of people and neighborhoods, as we seek to avoid a “one size fits all” approach that counter-productively marginalizes DACs
Administrative Burden: Changing incentive program paperwork requirements for contractors creates confusion, frustration and significant delays. Energy efficiency programs administered through PSEG Long Island, for example, require multiple hand-offs from Hub’s energy advisors to TRC making the process lengthier and more complex for Long Islanders. Lastly there is no referral system or “opt-in” mechanism to identify income-eligible customers already receiving other benefits.
Workforce Development: NYSERDA’s 2023 Clean Energy Industry Report credits Nassau-Suffolk for creating more clean energy jobs than any other region in the state, with Suffolk (18,689) first among all counties and Nassau (15,436) third among all counties. Despite this growth, out of the 18,689 green jobs in state-leading Suffolk, only 2,624 went to residents of disadvantaged communities. Nassau’s disadvantaged communities have 2,287 of the county’s 15,436.
Education and Combating Misinformation: The Hub’s success will hinge on credibly and convincingly informing Long Islanders about energy efficiency programs that can make their homes more comfortable, safe, and affordable. Residents and nonprofits across the island are relatively – but still not adequately -- familiar with longstanding income-eligible programs such as SNAP, HEAP, and WAP, but have little experience in such programs from PSEG Long Island or NYSERDA. The Hub’s survey showed that there is work to do in dispelling clean energy myths and building trust around clean energy programs.
Recommendations and Next Steps
The RABA identifies opportunities to overcome barriers some highlights include;
Housing/Renters and Landlords: Develop targeted outreach materials and communication strategies for critical groups including renters, landlords, retired homeowners, income-eligible benefit recipients, etc. Launch community-based outreach programs with trusted community partners to provide accessible, culturally relevant information on clean energy incentives, in DACs and non-DACs alike.
Data: Build sharing agreements with nonprofits, LIPA, PSEG Long Island, and NYSERDA to access up-to-date information that will aid in targeting and messaging to help the Hub efficiently reach 92 DACs in the region. Some examples include number of jobs broken down by sector needed to achieve Long Island’s CLCPA workforce goals, data on households on delivered fuels, recent heat pump installations by zip, etc.
Administrative Burden: Clean energy contractors working with incentive programs face high administrative burdens. The Hub aims to support employers and improve communication and transparency between contractors and NYSERDA, possibly to include regional training, detailed public descriptions of eligibility, and provide contractors withs opportunities to meet with NYSERDA staff and build stronger partnerships.
Workforce Development: The Hub will work tirelessly to close this racial and economic gap by expanding on already existing programs (Power Up Wind, Solar & Renewables program, and the state-of-the-art E3 SmartBuild), and leveraging new programs (the National Offshore Wind Training Center) to ensure inclusion of Long Island’s disadvantaged communities.
Education and Combatting Misinformation: Continue to work with trusted community partners to promote incentives, and partner with local municipalities on community campaigns. Build trust and battle disinformation via newsletters, social media, Spanish language media, and other forms of communication
By focusing on overcoming the obstacles and seizing the opportunities detailed in our exhaustive RABA, by addressing the needs of all residents, the Long Island Clean Energy Hub aims to ensure that the benefits of clean energy are shared – and sustained – in every corner of the region.