State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli - Improved Planning Needed for NY to Achieve Its Energy Goals

 

Improved Planning Needed for NY to Achieve Its Energy Goals

The Public Service Commission (PSC) and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority have taken considerable steps in planning for New York State’s transition to renewable energy but must take stronger action to meet the State’s clean energy goals, according to an audit released by State Comptroller DiNapoli.

The audit found inadequate planning, monitoring and assessment of risks and challenges in the PSC’s efforts to help the State meet the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s (Climate Act) targets, which seek 70% renewably sourced electricity by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2040.

“New York is moving in the right direction to transition to renewable energy, but we found better planning, monitoring of progress and timely assessment of risks by PSC is needed to achieve our ambitious clean energy goals,” DiNapoli said. “New York has been a leader in its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the threats caused by climate change, and identifying existing and emerging challenges will improve the likelihood that we succeed.”

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DiNapoli Releases Report on SFY 2024-25 Financial Plan

New York’s financial outlook is in a relatively stable position, but continues to have a structural budget deficit, with a cumulative three-year budget gap of $13.9 billion forecasted by the Division of the Budget, according to a report by State Comptroller DiNapoli on the State Fiscal Year 2024-25 Enacted Budget Financial Plan. DiNapoli says action is needed to align projected State spending with revenues and address factors that challenge the State’s finances, economic competitiveness, and ability to offer services effectively over the long term.

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1st Quarter State Tax Receipts Modestly Higher Than Division of Budget Projections

State tax receipts totaled $29.9 billion through the first quarter of State Fiscal Year 2024-25, $594 million higher than estimates released by the Division of the Budget in the Enacted Budget Financial Plan. In addition, collections were $2.2 billion higher than those through June 2023, according to the monthly State Cash Report released by State Comptroller DiNapoli.

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Municipal & School Audits

• Town of Stafford
• Town of Lancaster
• Franklin-Essex-Hamilton Board of Cooperative Educational Services
• Rensselaer City School District
• Town of Franklinville
• City of Yonkers
• Village of Elmira Heights

ALSO IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK

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• Comptroller DiNapoli releases report on 2024-25 Financial Plan

• State Comptroller DiNapoli Urges Stronger Action on NY's Clean Energy Goals
  
  

• Outdated data, inadequate planning harming New York's clean energy transition, NY Comptroller says

• DiNapoli: State Tax Receipts From 1st Quarter Higher Than Division of Budget Projections 

Post of the Week

Tom DiNapoli @NYSComptroller 

Registered Sex Offender Sentenced for Sextorting Numerous Minors

A Nevada man was sentenced to 65 years in prison, to be followed by lifetime supervised release, for sexually exploiting multiple minors and advertising and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) that he coerced these minors into producing. 

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between 2018 and 2021, James Patrick Burns, 55, of Sparks, “sextorted” multiple minors online, via Omegle, Snapchat, Tiktok, and Mega, by threatening these minors into producing CSAM and then posting the CSAM on dark web forums. During this period, Burns was the most prolific creator of illegal content on these forums. He victimized over 100 children, many of whom have yet to be identified. Burns’s offenses came to the attention of law enforcement when the mother of one of his victims saw threats on the victim’s phone and reported what she saw to the police.

Burns was also ordered to pay $82,655.92 in restitution and $21,000 in assessments under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act.

On March 5, a federal jury convicted Burns of eight counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, eight counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, and one count each of advertising, receiving, distributing, and possessing child pornography. At the time of these offenses, Burns was already a registered sex offender, and the jury also convicted Burns of committing certain specified felony offenses while required to register as a sex offender.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada; Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans of the FBI Las Vegas Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Miller of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Las Vegas made the announcement.

The FBI-led Northern Nevada Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is comprised of detectives and investigators from the Sparks Police Department, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Nevada Attorney General’s Office, and HSI, investigated the case. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office, HSI Chicago Field Office, and local law enforcement around the country provided substantial assistance. 

Over 20 Pounds of Narcotics and a Gun Seized in the Bronx

 

Glassine Envelopes of Heroin/Fentanyl Branded “Playboy” and “Tesla”

An undercover investigation that began with a large cocaine sale resulted in the seizure of a gun and nearly 25 pounds of narcotics, including what appeared to be heroin/fentanyl and oxycodone pills, as well as methamphetamine. CARLOS TORRES and a second individual were arrested on Friday, July 12, 2024, and arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court over the weekend. Members of the New York Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Strike Force uncovered the large cache of narcotics in a basement apartment in the Parkchester neighborhood of the Bronx. 

A criminal complaint filed by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor charges TORRES with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First and Third Degrees, Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second, Third and Fourth Degrees, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, and Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree. The second individual, MARTIN FIGUEROA, is charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree. 

Bridget G. Brennan, New York City’s Special Narcotics Prosecutor, Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New York Division (NY), New York City Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban, and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced the arrests following an arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court. 

Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan said, “These arrests illustrate dangerous trends. Drug traffickers are simultaneously peddling many different dangerous substances, sometimes interchangeably, and buyers have no way of knowing what they are getting. The ‘Playboy’ and ‘Tesla’ stamps demonstrate another disturbing practice - attractive labels disguising potentially deadly substances.” 

DEA New York Division Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino said, “These arrests are a result of an undercover operation the DEA New York conducted with our law enforcement partners. I commend the quick action of our team in the removal of over 20 pounds of illicit narcotics and a gun off our streets. Anytime a firearm is recovered during an operation, it is a stark reminder of the dangers we face when targeting these organizations.” 

NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said, “Disrupting this packaging and distribution operation in the Bronx prevented deadly narcotics from reaching the streets and neighborhoods of New York City and, without a doubt, saved lives. Stopping the flow of illegal drugs into our communities remains one 2 of the top priorities of NYPD investigators and our invaluable law enforcement partners, and this fight will continue every day until all New Yorkers are safe.” 

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “The arrests in this case are part of a continuing strategy and collaboration between law enforcement agencies to disrupt the flow of dangerous narcotics in New York City and surrounding communities. I appreciate the work of our members and our strike force partners in this case. We have absolutely zero tolerance for this kind of illegal activity.” 

The investigation was conducted by Strike Force Group Z-43, comprised of agents and officers from DEA New York Division, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the New York State Police.

As alleged in the complaint, over the past week TORRES engaged in narcotics-related conversations with an undercover officer to arrange the sale of two kilograms (over four pounds) of cocaine. On July 11, 2024, at approximately 5 p.m., the undercover was at the agreed upon meeting place, 1460 St. Lawrence Avenue in the Bronx, and saw FIGUEROA on the roof of an adjacent garage. FIGUEROA allegedly threw a black bag to TORRES, who was standing in the outdoor yard of 1460 St. Lawrence Avenue. TORRES then allegedly met with the undercover in a vehicle. 

Members of Strike Force Group Z-43 subsequently apprehended TORRES and FIGUEROA in the yard and recovered the black bag containing two kilograms of cocaine. The investigation led agents and officers to the basement of 1460 St. Lawrence Avenue, where they allegedly recovered a 9mm pistol with an extended magazine and quantities of cocaine from an open box, and additional quantities of cocaine from a bathroom. 

Agents and officers obtained a court authorized search warrant for the basement apartment at 1460 St. Lawrence Avenue. A bag in a hallway in the apartment contained approximately seven kilograms (nearly 15 pounds) of suspected heroin/fentanyl, some of which was packaged in glassines bearing the brand names “Playboy” and “Tesla.” Additional kilograms of what appeared to be cocaine and methamphetamine were found in the hallway and in the ceiling. A bag of oxycodone pills was recovered from a filing cabinet in the living room. The apartment also contained equipment and materials used in packaging heroin/fentanyl, including scales, glassine envelopes and razor blades. 

The results of DEA laboratory analysis on the seized drugs are pending. The arraigning judge in Manhattan Criminal Court set bail for TORRES at $750,000 cash or bond. FIGUEROA was released on his own recognizance. 

Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan thanked Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark, and commended SNP’s Special Trial Division, DEA New York Division, the New York Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Strike Force, the New York City Police Department, and the New York State Police for their work on the investigation. 

Defendant Charges:

Carlos Torres Bronx, NY Age: 56 CPCS 1st – 2 cts, CSCS 1st – 1 ct, CPCS 3rd – 1 ct, CPW 2nd – 1 ct, CPW 3rd – 2 cts, Criminal Possession of a Firearm – 1 ct, Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia 2nd – 2 cts, CPW 4th – 1 ct. 

Martin Figueroa Stamford, CT Age: 66 CSCS 1st – 1 ct 

The charges and allegations are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Governor Hochul Provides Update on Global Computer System Outage

“We continue to address the IT outage of Windows computers affected by a third-party software tool that impacted systems and services worldwide. New York State has 24x7x365 cyber, technology, and emergency response staff that identified and began working on this issue in the early hours of Friday morning. Thousands of staff across dozens of agencies are working around the clock throughout the weekend to continue to remediate systems.

“We have made significant progress in restoring systems in collaboration with state and local government partners and the third-party provider. Critical life safety services, including 911 remain operational, and New Yorkers should continue to call 911. I have also directed that forbearance be granted for those that were unable to conduct business with the state due to the outage, such as individuals needing DMV license renewals.

“I am grateful to all of the staff who deployed quickly when this issue occurred and have continued working around the clock to fix systems across the state. I remain in close contact with our cyber, IT, and emergency response teams, and can assure New Yorkers that we are doing all we can to quickly restore services.” 

AG James and Mayor Adams Cancel Press Conference at Jacobi Hospital to Announce Opioid Money for the Bronx

 

As she has been doing statewide New York State Attorney General Letitia James has been going to each of the sixty-two counties in the state dropping off checks from the Billion Dollar Opioid settlement with Big Pharma. A press conference was called for Friday morning at Jacobi Hospital where AG James was to present the hospital with a check for fifty million dollars as the Bronx Share of the Opioid settlement. 

Since Mayor Adams was coming to Jacobi Hospital, Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato called for a protest against the proposed Just Home project at the hospital to house fifty current incarcerated people from the Rikers Island Infirmary at Building #2 on the Jacobi Campus free to go wherever they want with just a security guard at the front desk in the middle of a thriving residential area. The reason for the protest Councilwoman Marmorato said was that the Health and Hospitals Corporation has lied to people of her District by saying that incarcerated people with only Stage Four Cancer would be placed at the Jacobi building. She continued that the criteria has changed since the HHC first told the community, and that HHC has now said other people could wind up at Jacobi. Apparently wanting to avoid the protest the AG and Mayor canceled the press conference. 

Close to fifty people came to protest the Just Home project for Jacobi Hospital with less than a twenty- four hour notice.

Hospital and 49th Precinct police were on hand to control the crowd, and a Parks Enforcement officer on horseback doing patrol on Pelham Parkway stopped by. 

Former Community Board 11 Chair and President of th eVan Nest Neighborhood Alliance Bernedette Ferrara speaks against the Just Home Project, which Community Board 11 voted against. 

Former District Leader Irene Estrada voices her opposition to the Just Home Project, and why it is bad for the community. 

Veteran and former police officer Sammy Ravelo says there are better options that the community needs that are better for Building #2 than the Just Home project.