January 15, 2022

Dear Friends,

Yesterday, I was thrilled to welcome U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm to the Capital Region. Throughout her first year leading the Department of Energy, Secretary Granholm has led the way on helping America achieve President Biden’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 by advancing innovative clean energy technologies, creating millions of good paying jobs in clean energy fields, and building an equitable energy future for all Americans.

During her visit, we participated in several conversations and meetings with local stakeholders and elected officials to discuss some of the Biden Administration’s key energy priorities, including modernizing our power grid through the DOE’s Building a Better Grid Initiative, harnessing the power of offshore wind energy, and reducing carbon emissions—all issues that I have championed throughout my time in Congress and as Chair of the Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change.

These events included:

• A tour of the facilities at New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), the organization responsible for operating New York’s electric grid, in Rensselaer. We viewed first-hand their state-of-the-art control room and cybersecurity facilities. NYISO personnel gave us insight into their work to provide New Yorkers with reliable, affordable, and clean electricity.
• A press event at the Port of Albany, where Governor Kathy Hochul, the Secretary and I received a briefing from Port leaders on their efforts to seize the opportunities coming from offshore wind energy. We spoke on several of the Administration’s key clean energy initiatives, including the Department of Transportation’s recent award of $29.5 million to develop one of the first large-scale offshore wind tower manufacturing facilities in the nation, a move that will create more than 1,000 good, clean energy jobs for our Capital Region. With continued infrastructure improvements at the Port of Albany and more new investments down the river at the Port of Coeymans, the Capital Region is set to become a major hub for offshore wind manufacturing.
• A visit to the Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skills at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, where we toured HVCC’s state-of-the-art interactive labs and met with students and college officials.  HVCC plays an essential role in training our energy workforce of the future. In fact, they are one of only two colleges in the state that were just yesterday awarded funds under the Offshore Wind Training Institute, the largest public investment in offshore wind workforce development by any state in the country. Truly inspiring!
• A tour of GE Global Research Center’s labs in Niskayuna, where the Secretary and I met with GE officials to learn more about the team of scientists and engineers developing cutting-edge technologies to accelerate decarbonization and the clean energy transition, advance precision health technologies, and enable safer, more sustainable air travel. I am proud of GE’s role in making our region a national center for technological innovation.

Yesterday’s visits with Secretary Granholm and our discussions with workers, students, business leaders, and elected officials left me confident in our Capital Region’s future as a national hub for clean energy technologies and advanced manufacturing. Secretary Granholm and I are excited to return to Washington armed with the insights of our local leaders and advocates as we work to implement the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and this Administration’s historic initiatives to support the development of clean energy technologies. Together, we can make the investments that will build back better and make our nation cleaner, more resilient, and more competitive.

I look forward to continuing to work with our state and local leaders and with the Biden Administration to deliver real results for the American people.

As always, thank you for reading.

Your friend,

DID YOU KNOW?

Throughout this pandemic, my office and I have worked to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies.  With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:

• The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released new guidance requiring insurance companies and group health plans to cover the cost of over-the-counter, at-home COVID-19 tests.
• Beginning today, January 15, individuals with private health insurance coverage or covered by a group health plan will be able to have the cost of FDA-approved COVID-19 tests covered by their plan or insurance.
  • This guidance requires insurance companies and health plans to cover 8 free at-home tests per covered individual per month.
  • That means a family of four, all on the same plan, would be able to have up to 32 of these tests covered by their health plan per month.
• There is no limit on the number of at-home tests that are covered if ordered or administered by a health care provider, including for those who may need them due to underlying medical conditions.
• Click HERE to view the CMS guidance, or click HERE to view a set of frequently asked questions.