Energy Policy

A Victory (for now) on the NYS Climate Action Front

/ Peter Bardaglio / Leave a comment

There is so little good news in the world these days, especially regarding the climate crisis, that it’s worth paying attention when some comes along. Not just happy, greeting card talk, but substantive, positive developments.

Well, there was good news last Friday (October 24) and it’s worth focusing on. A state supreme court judge ruled that New York is violating its own 2019 climate law, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).

CLCPA Mandates

How can this possibly be good news?

Here’s why: it’s been clear for months now that Governor Hochul and her administration have been working hard at slow-walking the effort to to implement the CLCPA. This law mandated – not suggested, recommended, or advised, but legally stipulated – the following climate and clean energy targets: a 40% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030; an 85% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050; and 70% renewable electricity by 2030; and 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040.

Cap and Trade Rules

Under the law, the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) had until the start of 2024 to issue regulations that would “ensure” New York met its binding greenhouse gas emissions targets. A year and a half later, no such regulations had been issued.

Behind the scenes, the DEC and NYSERDA had apparently completed draft rules at the beginning of this year for cap and invest, the emissions program that is critical to theimplementation of the climate law. But the governor, instead of releasing these rules for public comment, pulled the plug on them.

In response, Citizen Action of New York, PUSH Buffalo, Sierra Club, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice filed suit in March. In his decision Judge Julian Schreibman gave the DEC until February 6 to issue the cap and trade regulations. “While DEC notes that it has taken other, commendable regulatory steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” the judge said, “it candidly concedes that the impact of those regulations would fall far short” of the targets set out in the climate law.

Echoing Governor Hochul’s concerns about cap and trade, the DEC argued in court that issuing the regulations was “infeasible” because it “would require imposing extraordinary and damaging costs upon New Yorkers.”Judge Schreibman, to his credit, dismissed that argument. “It is undoubtedly true that the task placed before the DEC is very complicated indeed,” he observed. “But as a legal argument, this is unavailing.”

Two Paths

The judge said there were two paths ahead: the DEC can release regulations to meet the requirements of the law or the legislature can change the law. Of course, the DEC could also appeal the decision, which would lead the case to drag on for months longer, if not more. The DEC would only say that it was reviewing the decision.

Governor Hochul took a less ambiguous position on the decision, indicating that she was considering the possibility of pushing the state legislature to change the CLCPA.

NY Renews, a statewide climate justice coalition, spoke out in strong opposition to this possibility. In its words, “changing the climate law would be a massive step in the wrong direction, allowing polluters across New York to proceed with business as usual, unfettered and unchecked, and condemning us to an ever-worsening climate crisis.”

As if on cue, Hurricane Melissa roared through the Caribbean, leaving a trail of death and massive destruction in its wake. One of the strongest hurricanes on record, Melissa slammed into Jamaica on October 28 with winds of 185 mph. Closer to home, New York City suffered extensive flooding and at least two deaths on October 30 as rainfall broke 100-year records and submerged streets and subways.

The message couldn’t be clearer: the climate crisis isn’t going away and, in fact, will only get worse. Those of us who recognize this likelihood must hold the governor and state legislators accountable during the next session beginning in January, making sure that any efforts to weaken the climate law are defeated.

The New York Draft Energy Plan Falls Woefully Short

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It wasn’t that long ago New York achieved national prominence for its ambitious renewable energy push. But with NYSERDA’s recent release of its draft energy plan state officials are openly acknowledging that New York will fail to meet the clean energy targets mandated by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2018. The state climate law stipulates that 70% of the energy produced in New York should be zero-emissions by 2030.

The plan recognizes the need for more renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. To say the least, however, it sends a disappointing message by calling for continued reliance on fossil fuels as well as new investments in new natural gas pipelines and the repowering of fossil fuel plants.

The plan also concludes that New York’s goal of reaching a 40% reduction in emissions from 1990s levels by 2030 is probably not achievable. So far the state has only reduced its emissions by 10% with just five years to go.

Not surprisingly, the plan blames some of the state’s failures on the increasingly aggressive opposition to renewable energy by the Trump administration, but as environmental activists point out, the state was already behind before these attacks.

To its credit, the plan calls for accelerating the deployment of energy efficiency measures such as home weatherization and power-saving appliances. According to its projections, up to 25% of homes by 2040 will have heat pumps and over half the cars could be zero-emission vehicles.

The plan also seeks to increase solar power and battery storage, and notes that New York could increase its renewable electricity generation by 80% over the next 10 years. Of course, the Trump administration’s irrational effort to pull the plug on offshore wind casts a shadow over this possibility.

With the right kind of strong, visionary leadership, New York could accelerate its adoption of solar energy, battery storage, and geothermal energy while retiring its fossil fuel system and electrifying transportation and buildings. The key problem clearly lies with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s reluctance to meet the moment and provide such leadership.

Thousands of comments have been submitted by the public focusing on the flaws in the draft energy plan and its lack of commitment to the CLCPA. Later this year, the state will publish a final plan. Let’s hope it responds to these comments, keeping New York on the path to a renewable energy future.

Why are NY Taxpayers Subsidizing Big Oil & Gas in this Day & Age?

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New York State currently subsidizes the fossil fuel industry by exempting it from paying $1.6 billion of Sales & Use Taxes and Petroleum Business Taxes every year. When I first learned of these subsidies, I was astonished. How could New York, which established some of the most aggressive targets in the nation for reducing greenhouse emissions in its climate law of 2019, still be handing out taxpayer dollars to businesses that continue to pump more of these emissions into the atmosphere?

Besides this obvious reason for taking a good, hard look at the subsidies, there are at least two more reasons why they no longer make any sense. First, the fossil fuel industry has been making enormous profits in recent years. In 2023, the global oil and gas industry earned a record income of more than $2.7 trillion, while they invested just 4% of capital expenditure on clean energy. Clearly, big oil and gas no longer need to be supported by these tax breaks, especially when they are turning around and investing so little in clean energy.

Second, New York passed the Climate Change Superfund Act last year in an effort to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for the damage that its reckless business practices inflicted on the state. In other words, we are handing out subsidies to the same industry that we have just decided to impose stiff penalties on for its destructive behavior.

The Stop Climate Polluter Handouts Act (S3389/A7949), currently being considered by the state legislature, seeks to pull back on the incentives that benefit the most highly polluting fuels and their most unreasonable uses, including high-emission commercial airline fuel and low-grade shipping “bunker” fuel, the operation of fracked gas infrastructure, industry research and development, and more.

The bill targets fossil fuel corporations’ most egregious actions and protects ordinary New Yorkers by preserving some tax breaks that benefit the public such as the home heating credit for low and middle-income households and an agricultural exemption that helps small- to mid-sized farmers. In total, the legislation would end over $330 million in fossil fuel subsidies. At a time when Washington is taking steps to make huge cuts in the federal budget, cuts that would be extremely damaging to New York, the bill would also help to close the state’s budget deficit.

In short, the Stop Climate Polluter Handouts Act is a commonsense bill, raising revenue for the state while aligning state spending with New York’s 2018 climate law targets and holding fossil fuel companies accountable to pay the taxes from which they have been exempted for decades. There are only a few days left in this year’s legislative session, so time is running out. The legislature needs to move quickly to approve this measure and send it on to Gov. Hochul for her signature.

Let’s Keep the Inflation Reduction Act Powering Upstate New York

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The following was originally published in the Ithaca Times on April 20, 2025.

Upstate New York has always been a place where hard work and innovation go hand in hand, going back to the building of the Erie Canal. Now, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), our region is seeing a surge in clean energy investments that are creating jobs, lowering energy costs, and strengthening local economies.

The IRA Drives Economic Benefits

We can see firsthand how federal policies like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are driving tangible benefits for our communities.Ithaca’s groundbreaking plan to decarbonize the city’s buildings, for example, is tapping into federal incentives to make the transition affordable and sustainable.

Meanwhile, the IRA’s Rural Energy for America program is helping farms and small businesses across the Southern Tier invest in energy efficiency upgrades and clean energy projects for affordable energy they can generate on their own land.

Key to Private Investment Growth

Throughout our region and the nation, clean energy projects are delivering economic growth and hundreds of new jobs. Since the passage of the IRA, the U.S. has added more than 400,000 new clean energy jobs and seen over $422 billion in private investment. And in New York alone, federal clean energy tax credits have driven $115.47 billion in investments and created nearly 29,000 jobs since they were passed. Here in our region, the impact is clear: new, good-paying jobs in manufacturing, more reliable, locally-produced clean energy, and strengthened economic opportunities in both urban and rural communities. Despite this momentum, some in Washington want to roll back these critical investments. Repealing clean energy tax credits would mean turning away billions in future investment, increasing energy costs for businesses and families, and slowing the progress we have worked so hard to achieve.

That’s why we need Rep. Josh Riley, Rep. Nick Langworthy, and Rep. Claudia Tenney to stand up for Upstate New York and protect the Inflation Reduction Act. Our region is already seeing the benefits, and by maintaining this momentum, we can build a future that is both economically and environmentally resilient. Now is the time to double down on our progress, like the early canal builders, not turn back.

NYS Moves Closer to Banning Gas in New Buildings

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To say the least, there’s not a lot of good news these days regarding efforts in the U.S. to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. So we should make a point of highlighting what positive news there is to avoid falling into despair.

On Feb. 28, New York state took an important step to ban fossil fuels in new buildings when the State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council voted to recommend major updates to the state’s building code, including rules requiring most new buildings to be all electric starting in 2026, as mandated by a law passed two years ago.The law bans fossil fuel combustion in most new buildings under seven stories starting in 2026, with larger buildings covered starting in 2029.

Environmentalists and climate activists breathed a sign of relief following the state council’s approval given that the state council had cancelled meetings twice in recent months, leaving some supporters concerned that the state might be backing away from the gas ban. With the rules now released for public comment, New York looks to be the first state to implement such a ban.

Buildings are New York’s largest source of emissions, amounting to nearly one-third of all climate pollution. In fact, according to the national clean energy nonprofit RMI, New York’s buildings burn more fossil fuels for heat and hot water than any other state, contributing not only to global warming but also to local air pollution that poses serious public health problems.

Although the proposed new codes do not delay the ban on fossil fuels, they fail to include mandates to require EV charging infrastructure, energy storage, and solar at new buildings. The state’s 2022 climate plan listed these three provisions as “key strategies” to achieve New York’s legally binding emissions targets.

Not surprisingly, the fossil fuel industry fought at every level against these changes in the buildings codes. Industry trade groups, in particular, led a major campaign to keep provisions such as the EV-charging requirement out of the national building code that provides a model for states, including New York.

Despite these shortcomings, the key development is that the NYS Building Council has backed the ban on fossil fuels in new construction. That’s a victory worth celebrating.

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

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With the Trump administration taking office on January 20, it’s become clear that efforts to stave off runaway climate change will have to focus on state and local policy.

Trump has promised to halt federal support for clean energy technology and electric vehicles, and he has pledged to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate accord, reverse a key regulation aimed at reducing emissions from power plants, and roll back other rules aimed at curbing climate change and air and water pollution.

Offshore wind is a crucial component of New York’s attempt to achieve 70 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030. Photo by David Dixon/Walney Offshore Windfarm licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Clean Energy’s Rapid Growth Continues

One bright light, though, is the fact that Trump can slow down progress, but he can’t stop the transformation of the domestic and global economies sparked by the clean energy revolution.

More than 40 percent of all global power in 2023 came from renewable sources, and investments in renewable energy are accelerating because prices have dropped dramatically. In fact, more than 80 percent of new electricity capacity around the world comes from carbon-free sources.

NY’s Leadership Role

Nonetheless, action at the state and local levels will be imperative going forward. With Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signing of the Climate Change Superfund Act, New York has taken on a leadership role that will give the state an opportunity to defy the president-elect’s attempt to reverse climate action. This new law, as explained above, will require the biggest oil and gas companies to contribute to a fund that will be used for infrastructure projects meant to protect New York residents from increasingly dangerous climate disasters like storms and sea level rise.

Another major step in the state’s climate fight took place when Hochul, at the same time, signed into law a prohibition on using carbon dioxide for fracking, closing a loophole in New York’s existing hydraulic fracturing ban (also reported above). This legislation, introduced by Assemblymember Anna Kelles in March, signals a determination to keep the fracking industry out of the state.

These two steps forward should be applauded, while at the same time recognizing the importance of continuing the push on climate action and clean energy in Albany when the state legislature opens its new session on January 8. Efforts to ensure that New York obtains 70 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030, as called for by the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) are especially critical.

Expanding offshore wind, implementing congestion pricing in New York City, eliminating subsidies for new gas hookups as well as the Public Service Commission’s obligation to provide gas service, reducing state tax breaks provided to the fossil fuel industry, putting in place a true cap-and-invest program with guardrails to keep it from devolving into cap-and-trade, increasing the kinds of containers covered by the state’s bottle law, and addressing the issue of plastic packaging are just some of the ways New York can continue to strengthen its leadership role on the climate and clean energy fronts.

At the local level, we’ve seen a disappointing step backward with the continued attempt by Cornell University to install synthetic turf fields on campus. Given the recent finding that 2024 is set to become the hottest year on record, the massive rollout of plastic undertaken by Cornell at its athletic facilities is a bad look, to say the least.

Equally dismaying is the apparently superficial investigation by the city planning board as part of the approval process. The board’s negative declaration of environmental significance, precluding the need for the kind of thorough environmental impact statement (EIS) called for by Zero Waste Ithaca, is hard to fathom in light of existing scientific research outlining the harmful public health and environmental effects of synthetic turf. We can only hope that the lawsuit launched by this activist organization will result in greater transparency regarding the risks involved.

Time for New Leadership on Climate and Energy

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With the coming change in administration in Washington, it’s safe to say we’ll be seeing some dramatic shifts in climate and energy policy, none of which is likely to result in lower greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, it is critical that local communities and states step in to lead the way on climate resiliency and adaptation, as well as the clean energy transition. Given the huge transformation of the political landscape at the national level, New York must move forward decisively. The biggest indication that it will do so would be if Governor Hochul signs the Climate Change Superfund Act passed at the end of the last session. This act adopts the “polluter must pay” principle. The fossil fuel industry has known for decades that its product is responsible for the climate damage we’ve experienced, and through its campaign of misinformation and outright deception it has avoided accountability. It is time for this to stop. The bill doesn’t ask Big Oil to pick up the entire tab, just a fair share of it. Taxpayers should not have to cover the entire cost of destruction caused by the fossil fuel industry. Besides the Climate Change Superfund Act, unfinished business from the last session includes the NY HEAT Act, which seeks to eliminate subsidies for new gas hookups, eliminate the “obligation to serve” gas to neighborhoods, and ensure that no low-income household would pay more than 6% of its income for energy. The NY HEAT Act passed in the Senate this year by a wide margin, but never came to a vote in the Assembly due to the controversy over congestion pricing that erupted in the final days of the session. Another big piece that needs to be put in place is the Cap and Invest Program. By applying a price to the amount of pollution, the Cap and Invest Program incentivizes consumers, businesses, and other entities to transition to lower-carbon alternatives. Assemblymember Anna Kelles (D -125th District) is the lead sponsor on a version of this program that would put in place guardrails to keep it from devolving into a vehicle for cap and trade, and would also ensure that an appropriate share of the revenue raised by the program goes to projects in frontline communities. As Kelles points out, the Climate Change Superfund Act and the Cap and Invest Program work together, with the former addressing past damage and the latter looking forward to future destruction incurred as a result of carbon pollution. Together with the NY HEAT Act, adoption of this legislation would send a strong message to Washington and the other states that progress on the climate and clean energy transition cannot be stopped.

Accountability and Climate Change in Albany

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It’s that time of year in Albany when a wave of bills sweeps ashore in the New York State Legislature, among them a number of critical climate and energy transition measures.

The big question on the minds of climate and environmental activists and their legislative allies is pretty straightforward: to what extent is Governor Kathy Hochul committed to fulfilling not just the letter but the spirit of the state’s 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA)?

Assemblymember Anna Kelles speaking at a NY Renews rally in January. Photo courtesy of NY Renews.

Uncertainty and Anziety
Close on the heels of this question is a related issue: the State Climate Action Council has developed a substantive, thoughtful roadmap for meeting the ambitious goals of the CLCPA, but it remains unclear how energetically the governor intends to pursue it.

Feeding this sense of uncertainty are the challenges facing the rollout of utility-scale renewable energy projects in New York. As Marie French points out in a recent article, recent setbacks in developing industrial wind and solar have raised serious doubts about the state’s ability to meet the demands of the Climate Law, which requires that 70 percent of New York’s power come from renewable sources by 2030.

Finding a Solution
At the same time, extreme weather events attributable to climate change have been escalating, creating a palpable sense of urgency about the need to find a solution. As Raya Salter, a member of the Climate Action Council and founder of the Energy Justice Law and Policy Center, puts it, “The stakes are higher than ever so the governor needs to be willing to step out and make sure that we fully implement the CLCPA.”

There is certainly no shortage of suggestions about how to do this. One of the boldest set of proposals before the legislators is the Climate, Jobs, and Justice Package (CJJP) advanced by NY Renews, a coalition made up of over 370 environmental, justice, faith, labor, and community groups, including TCCPI.

The CJJP has three main components: 1) fully fund the CLCPA so that it can achieve its objectives; 2) build renewable energy for all and create green union jobs; and 3) hold polluters accountable and ensure everyone pays their fair share in taxes. Here are the details about how this would be accomplished:

  • The People’s Climate Justice Budget is a $1 billion spending plan that outlines critical climate and environmental justice programs that would constitute a downpayment on the more than $10 billion a year the state estimates is necessary to address the climate crisis. It builds on the creation of the Climate Action Fund (CAF) in 2023, seizing a historic opportunity to fund projects across the state.
  • The NY HEAT (Home Energy Affordable Transition) Act would eliminate subsidies for new gas hookups (the “100-foot rule”), enable neighborhood scale building decarbonization by eliminating the “obligation to serve” gas, and ensure that no household pays more than 6% of its income for energy. The plan would also ban the construction of any new gas plants in areas where they do not already exist after September 30, 2023.
  • The Just Energy Transition Act provides a plan to guide the replacement and redevelopment of at least 4 GW of New York State’s fossil fuel facilities by 2030. It lays out a clear direction for proceeding with the transition off fossil fuels in accordance with the CLCPA requirements. Converting these facilities to renewable energy as soon as possible will generate climate and economic benefits as well as public health benefits.
  • The Climate Change Superfund Act holds major oil companies, the state’s worst climate polluters, accountable for the harm they’ve inflicted on New York between 2000 and 2018. It would require companies that have contributed significantly to the buildup of greenhouse gases to bear a share of the costs of infrastructure investments required to adapt to the impacts of climate change in the state. The program would assess the major fossil fuel emitters $3 billion annually over the span of 25 years to offset the climate damages incurred by the state.

Not included in the CJJP, but closely aligned with it, is the Stop Climate Polluter Handouts Act. Many supporters view it, in particular, as a companion bill to the Climate Superfund Act, arguing that New York shouldn’t be providing huge subsidies to an industry that is causing so much destruction. This legislation will end the most egregious state subsidies of over $330 million each year (out of an annual total of $1.6 billion) to oil and gas companies.

These are just a few of the bills under consideration in Albany. Efforts to ensure that the Cap-and-Invest program doesn’t devolve into a cap-and-trade shell game; to make the fashion industry more transparent when it comes to supply chains, carbon emissions, and labor conditions; to reduce plastic packaging and modernize the bottle bill; and to push the governor and legislature to figure out how state facilities in downtown Albany, including the Empire State Plaza and State Capitol, could receive their electric power and heating and cooling from 100% renewable energy are all crucial ways in which New York can demonstrate its seriousness about fulfilling the vision of the CLCPA.

As Raya Salter contends, “the stakes are higher than ever.” The governor and legislature need to demonstrate the vision and leadership that act on this understanding, and it’s up to the rest of us to hold their feet to the fire. TCCPI will be right there with our allies in the climate and energy transition movement, making sure that our representatives feel the heat and act accordingly.

Climate Action & the NY Fossil Fuel Industry

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The 2023 session of the New York state legislature is well underway at this point, and a flurry of important climate and clean energy bills have been introduced in the General Assembly and State Senate. Following the recent release of the state plan approved by the Climate Action Council, as required by the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), lawmakers are seeking ways to buttress its recommendations.

State legislators welcome Gov. Hochul for her 2023 State of the State address. Photo courtesy of NYS Senate Media Services licensed under CC By 2.0.

Given the potential of the various proposals to accelerate an equitable energy transition, it’s not surprising they have stirred up opposition and anxieties. In particular, the fossil fuel industry has mounted an aggressive lobbying campaign to undermine these far-reaching efforts and hamper the ability of the state to meet its climate targets.

A recent report issued by the nonprofit Public Accountability Initiative lays out in great detail the attempts of the industry to obstruct climate action in New York. It points out that millions of dollars have been spent by the industry and its supporters “to delay, water down and otherwise frustrate the implementation of the CLCPA and other key climate legislation.”

“Legislators, communities and other stakeholders invested in a cleaner, greener, decarbonized future for New York must stay vigilant around efforts by the fossil fuel industry to muzzle and erode” the state’s climate actions, the report warns.

Not only are the oil and gas industry representatives engaging in aggressive inside lobbying of legislators in Albany, they are working hand in hand with gas utilities to disseminate misinformation among the general public, muddying the waters and generating unwarranted fears. Deploying online ads and robocalls, they are raising the prospect of “power outages and cost increases.” “We need all energy options to keep the lights on and heat flowing,” they misleadingly claim.

The fossil fuel companies have been mobilizing their customers to contact state lawmakers and express their opposition to building electrification. What’s especially galling is that New York State hands out about $1.5 billion each year in tax subsidies to these companies, which are then turning around and spending a significant portion of the dollars to fund their misinformation and lobbying machine.

There is hope, however, that this time the industry will not be as effective as it has been in the past at stopping crucial climate action. Rich Schrader, New York State policy director at the Natural Resources Defense Council, notes that the oil and gas groups engaged in these tactics last year and have now lost the element of surprise. In addition, the advantages of new technologies such as cold-weather heat pumps have come into sharper focus.

“The politics have changed, information has changed, and the [federal] incentives are much clearer now,” he observes. “All that weighs against their propaganda.”

Turning Up the Heat on Climate Action in Albany

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The Climate Action Council has delivered a sound and comprehensive plan for meeting the crucial targets of the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which established the Council and charged it with putting together the plan. The question now is whether Gov. Hochul and the state legislature will step up and provide the necessary backing to ensure the plan’s success.

This year’s legislative session has been underway for too little time to reach any conclusions about the work of the General Assembly and State Senate, but the governor has laid out her priorities in the January 10th State of the State address, as well as in the proposed executive budget issued on February 1st. It’s a mixed record so far.

Renewable Heat Now rally at the state capitol on January 24. Photo credit: Sane Energy Project.

Hochul underscored once again her support for phasing out fossil fuel heating and appliances in new construction, a position she announced in last year’s executive budget. In addition, she backed the Climate Action Council’s call for a cap-and-invest program, a vehicle for funding climate action, and proposed modest programs to improve energy affordability.

But the governor’s actions fell short on several key fronts. Most important, she wants to push back the date for a phase-out of fossil fuels in newly-constructed small buildings to 2026 and to 2029 for high rise buildings.

These dates are one year longer than proposed in the final scoping plan and two years more than initially laid out in the draft plan. It’s a disappointing move, and flies in the face of mounting evidence that we need to speed up, not slow down, meaningful efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Fortunately, the state legislature has the opportunity to rectify the matter and restore the dates originally called for the in the draft scoping plan. The All-Electric Building Act excludes fossil fuel from new buildings, starting in 2024 with buildings under 7 stories and then 2027 for larger buildings. 

The Renewable Heat Now campaign, which has brought together over 220 organizations (including TCCPI), strongly backs this approach, urging legislators to stick with the earlier dates. It also proposes the following:

  • A funding package that includes a Green Affordable Pre-Electrification (GAP) fund, low interest financing, and additional funding for the NYSERDA’s Regional Clean Energy Hubs. Many homes in New York State have crucial health and safety issues, including mold, lead, gas, and/or carbon monoxide leaks. These issues must be remedied before an energy audit can be done to determine how to weatherize the home, save money, and make it electrification-ready. Families need financial and technical help to afford these critical retrofits addressing health and safety issues in existing buildings. This funding is necessary to ensure a just energy transition for all New Yorkers.
  • The NY Home Energy Equitable Transition (HEAT) Act eliminates over $200 million per year in subsidies for new gas hookups, enables neighborhood-scale building decarbonization, and improves energy affordability by eliminating the costly “obligation to serve” gas regulation, and ensuring no household pays more than 6% of their income for energy.
  • The Energy Efficiency, Equity, and Jobs Act deploys funding for cost-saving energy efficiency retrofits where they are most needed, removes health hazards from homes so they can undergo energy efficiency retrofits, and ensures that the workers hired for energy efficiency upgrades come from disadvantaged communities.

Another important bill, part of NY Renews’ Climate, Jobs, and Justice campaign (and also supported by TCCPI), would eliminate over $330 million of the most egregious state subsidies handed out each year to the fossil fuel industry. The Stop Climate Polluter Handouts Act preserves tax exemptions that help low- to moderate-income households, including a home-heating credit and an agricultural exemption for small- to mid-sized farmers.

Together these proposals will significantly strengthen the state’s climate action plan and correct some of the serious flaws in Gov. Hochul’s climate agenda. The next few weeks in Albany will be telling, so now is the time to make our voices heard.