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County schedules November public hearing on local law to allow development of advanced-nuclear components
Summary
Sponsors moved a public hearing to Nov. 25 on a proposal to amend Albany County code to include parts and components of advanced nuclear technology within the definition of clean energy; sponsor said the law would not authorize construction of a nuclear power plant in the county.
The Albany County Board voted to amend a resolution to move a public hearing to Nov. 25 on proposed local law H for 2025, which would amend Chapter 135 of the Albany County code to fund development of parts and components of advanced nuclear technology.
Sponsor County Member Burgdorff presented the item and described it as “aspirational,” saying the law would be intended to make the county welcoming to subcontractors and suppliers for advanced nuclear technology and not to authorize building a nuclear power plant locally. “I specifically say in the legislation that it is not for the development of a nuclear power plant in Albany County,” Burgdorff said. He referenced statewide direction from the governor to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and New York Power Authority (NYPA) to develop planning materials for advanced nuclear technology.
Burgdorff said he circulated draft language and asked colleagues to submit suggested edits before publication. Some board members pressed for clearer drafting: the chair asked whether specifying NYSERDA or NYPA in the local law would be sufficiently precise; Burgdorff and a staff speaker explained there is no existing NYSERDA/NYPA statutory or regulatory reference because the governor’s planning document has not yet been issued.
Burgdorff also distributed a non-legislative list of companies and subcontractors he had compiled using an AI tool; he said the list was a learning exercise and not the law itself. The board voted to amend the resolution to change the public hearing date to Nov. 25 and then to set the hearing; there was no recorded public testimony on the item during the meeting.
The transcript records no final adoption of the local law; the board only approved changing the date for the public hearing and proceeding with the hearing process.
