All new or expanding power plants built in New York will now have to evaluate their potential to have negative impacts on low-income communities and communities of color.

Many power plants, such as this one in Queens, are located in low-income communities.The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on Thursday adopted new regulations that are the first in the country to require an environmental-justice analysis in the siting of major electric generating facilities.

The state also adopted new regulations to limit carbon dioxide pollution from new major power plants.

"The adoption of this regulation ensures that new and expanding power plants in the state will incorporate cleaner and more efficient technologies," said DEC Commissioner Martens said. "By preventing new high-carbon sources of energy, this performance standard will serve to further minimize the power sector's contribution to climate change, which poses a substantial threat to public health and the environment in New York."

DEC adopted the regulations as required by the Power NY Act of 2011. NYLCV was a strong advocate for that legislation, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law last August.