State Assemblyman Phil Palmesano, Ranking Minority Member of the New York State Assembly Energy Committee, today issued the following statement on the importance of the plant’s reopening, stating, "I'm strongly supportive of the DEC's decision to move forward with restarting the Greenidge Power Plant. It's critically important for so many Yates County residents, taxpayers, school districts and communities. The plant will provide a badly-needed source of local tax revenue and employment for local workers, while at the same time producing the important regional and statewide energy and environmental benefits of cleaner energy and additional generating capacity to meet our growing energy needs. It's a very positive action for our economic, energy and environmental futures."