New York’s aggressive climate policies are colliding with a harsh reality: the cost to consumers.
Case in point: the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act signed into law by then-Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2019. The sweeping climate law requires significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, full net-zero by 2050, and mandates 70 percent of the Empire State’s electricity come from renewables by 2030.
While environmental activists hailed it as landmark climate legislation, it’s been making headlines recently because passing the bill proved a lot easier than implementing it. Governor Kathy Hochul, who was Cuomo’s lieutenant governor when the bill was signed, is claiming “there were so many unforeseen factors” and only now acknowledging “there’s going to be enormous costs” for consumers if the state is forced to enforce the law. In fact, a recent state-issued memo found that New York City households using natural gas could face $2,300 in additional costs annually under the law.
But the sudden concern for constituents’ wallets is uncannily reminiscent of the Cuomo administration blocking every natural gas pipeline deemed critical to meet growing demand and then turning around and threatening to revoke licenses when utilities were forced to issue moratoriums on new hook-ups because they didn’t have access to enough natural gas to add new customers.
Unlike her former boss, Gov. Hochul appears to understand that in order to change the outcome, you have to address the problem head-on and has confirmed she wants to rewrite the law. Because as she explained in recent comments, in order to meet the goals within the timeline currently set by the legislature:
“There’s going to be enormous costs to families.”
This moment where misguided policy meets a reality where consumers face skyrocketing prices didn’t happen overnight though. It’s been building for more than a decade and continues even with bills introduced in the current legislative session.
Read more on EID Climate.