Power & Politics

New York is launching the Energy Affordability Index, a tool Public Service Commission Chair Rory Christian says will help the commission guide decisions about rate increase proposals from companies. Christian talks about how those decisions will impact New Yorkers energy bills, and how those companies are using artificial intelligence.

Andrew Morris, the Chair of the Union College Department of History, looks back 100 years at the City of Schenectady's Election of the first Socialist mayor in New York State, George Lunn. He discusses Lunn's politics, policies, and a look at how he compares with NYC Mayor and Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani

00:00 Intro: What's on This Week's Episode
01:17 PSC Chair Rory Christian on the Energy Affordability Index
11:52 AI at New York's Utilities — and Grid Cybersecurity
15:09 Schenectady's Socialist Mayor: Who Was George Lunn?
26:28 Lunn and Mamdani: Parallels a Century Apart

Abridged version due to technical difficulties, this podcast will be updated with Holloway's Headlines and Power & Pop Culture on Friday afternoon.

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This week, Power & Politics provides multiple perspectives on the release of thousands of documents regarding air quality in the days and weeks following the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. Guests include Andrew Carboy, Attorney for 9/11 Health Watch, Congresswoman Laura Gillen and an excerpt of Tom Eschen's conversation with former Governor George Pataki.

Power & Politics producer Olivia Holloway provides this week's Holloway Headlines:

-Albany Sheriff investigator Flock misuse allegations

-Neighborhood Street Teams legislation introduced

-Artificial Intelligence as existential threat?

-9/11 Ground Zero air quality documents released

Here are suggested podcast chapters based on this episode:

00:00 – Opening & 25th Anniversary SetupTom introduces the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the focus on health impacts, and this week’s guests.

00:58 – Flock Cameras: Misuse, Privacy, and Public SafetyOlivia’s headlines on an Albany investigator’s alleged misuse of Flock data and the broader surveillance vs. safety debate.

05:11 – Senator Bottcher’s Neighborhood Street TeamsDiscussion of Bottcher’s bill to coordinate services for New Yorkers in crisis and balance information-sharing with privacy.

08:15 – AI Doom, Whistleblowers, and Election-Year PoliticsJacob Coxon’s warnings about AI risk, industry responsibility, and whether AI safety becomes a midterm campaign issue.

12:57 – New 9/11 Documents on Toxic Air in Lower ManhattanTom sets up the release of 170,000 NYC records on post-9/11 air quality and the focus on long-term health impacts.

14:47 – Inside the 9/11 Records Fight (Andrew Carboy)Attorney Andrew Carboy details the multi-decade legal battle to obtain NYC’s 9/11 air-quality archive and what it reveals.

33:36 – Governor George Pataki on 9/11 Illnesses & National UnityPataki reflects on toxic exposure at Ground Zero, caring for responders, how to teach 9/11, and the loss of post-9/11 unity.

40:41 – Rep. Laura Gillen on the WTC Health Program & JusticeCongresswoman Gillen discusses reappointing Dr. John Howard, expanding health coverage, and pushing Iran to pay 9/11 judgments.

48:57 – How We Remember: Generational Reflections on 9/11Tom and Olivia compare lived and inherited memories of 9/11, media’s evolution, fear, and what “never forget” means today.

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As mentioned on this week's Power & Politics podcast, Tom Eschen spoke with former NYS Governor George Pataki about the 25th Anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. The full conversation will be available on the Anniversary, but this is the excerpt Tom was talking about in regards to the attendance for NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump at this year's 9/11 Memorial Ceremony.
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Host Tom Eschen speaks to a variety of stakeholders in the world of climate science and policy, discussing attribution science, FEMA funding, and the New York Climate Change Superfund Act.

Power & Politics producer Olivia Holloway provides Holloway's Headlines: Pataki and Mamdani, Hochul and federal funding, Climate Superfund Act struck down.

Tom breaks down former NYS Governor George Pataki's comments to him about NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and attending this year's 9/11 Memorial Ceremony.

Following the interviews, Tom and Olivia discuss the impact of Gloria Steinem

00:01:18 – Holloway’s Headlines: 25th 9/11 Anniversary Politics00:07:42 – Counterterrorism & Disaster Aid Funding Fights00:12:16 – Climate Superfund Act, Extreme Weather & UN Warning00:18:35 – Andrew Morris: Disaster Relief, Partisanship & Climate Blame00:32:23 – Kevin Reed: Attribution Science & Extreme Weather00:58:50 – Business Council vs. NY Climate Superfund: Ken Pokalsky01:12:11 – Sen. Liz Krueger Defends the Climate Superfund & Next Steps01:20:36 – Remembering Gloria Steinem & Women’s Place in Media
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Tom Eschen speaks with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and President & CEO of the Air Traffic Control Association Stephen Creamer.

Tom and producer Olivia Holloway discuss the top stories of the week via Holloway's Headlines.

00:00 – Intro and Show Rundown

01:16 – Meta Kids Settlement and New York’s Safe for Kids Act

06:29 – Hochul’s ICE Policy, 287(g) and Local Control Fight

12:34 – Previewing Sec. Sean Duffy Interview, Congestion pricing

17:42 – Trump Renames Lake Ontario, Canada Tensions and Upstate Reaction

21:46 – Interview: Sec. Sean Duffy on Air Traffic Control, AI and Delays

35:00 – Interview: ATCA President Stephen Creamer on Modernization and Staffing

51:46 – Power and Pop Culture: Dolly Parton’s Legacy and Dream Concerts

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