The political balance tipped last year when Democrats seized control of the State Senate, which gave them both legislative houses and allowed for the passage of the climate act.

To help implement its ambitious goals, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo recently issued rules that would make it easier to get permission to build renewable energy sites, including wind turbines and solar- panels, allowing applicants to bypass zoning rules and other local regulations.

But that, too, rankles in Barker and neighboring towns, where a local group called Save Ontario Shores used environmental and aesthetic arguments to head off a proposed wind turbine project. Sign saying “No to industrial solar” signal suspicion of proposals to build large installations of solar panels on farm fields.

“It’s like saying, we’re closing this large employer in your community and putting something that you may not want in its place,” Mr. Ortt said.

He called on the governor to use his leverage to find union jobs for at least some of the 20-odd plant workers who are not yet of retirement age.

The state Department of Labor said it had provided job fairs and placement services — which will now go online because of the coronavirus outbreak — that have already helped find new jobs for 10 former employees of another recently shuttered upstate coal plant, in Cayuga.

“I just worry about the guys who are in their 40s,” said John Mason, 60, the plant’s operations manager. “Some of us are retiring, a few folks in their 20s are young enough to start over, but for those guys in the middle, it’s tough.”