In 2019, New York State passed The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which was, at the time, the strongest climate law in the nation. That groundbreaking legislation set a high standard for New York’s climate goal with a goal to reach net zero emissions in New York State.
However, there are indications that Governor Hochul is looking to make changes to the CLCPA that would weaken the law and make families more vulnerable to the rising cost of fossil fuels. Tying the CLCPA and clean energy to rising utility bills is a red herring, and NYLCV and other environmental advocates are taking issue with the governor’s reasoning.
“The reason why everybody’s energy bills are high right now is because natural gas – its price is spiking,” NYLCV President Julie Tighe told City and State New York. “We know this.”
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Clean energy is the path to affordability for New Yorkers and we cannot afford to go backwards.
“I do think there’s a bit of a scare tactic. I think again, this is the worst possible scenario,” Tighe explained to NY1. “It’s something that we think that the administration has a lot of flexibility in how they choose to implement it.”
There are already critical renewable energy projects underway that are backed by Hochul.
“The Champlain Hudson Power Express is going to bring 1,250 megawatts of hydropower into New York City. And then we have the two offshore wind projects are going to bring about 1.7 gigawatts of energy to New York over the next two years,” added Tighe. “That’s going to start making a difference.”
The state must deliver substantial investments that provide real, lasting benefits for workers, communities, and the environment. Instead of changing the law, New York State should be focused on implementing programs to fund the CLCPA and protect consumers from the real cause of growing energy costs for New Yorkers – rising fossil fuel prices.
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A new report released last week by New Yorkers for Clean Air, in partnership with Spring Street Climate Fund, shows how Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed Cap-and-Invest program, known as the Clean Air Initiative, could lead to significant cost savings for New Yorkers. The report lays out a scenario in which the program will provide nearly $270 in annual energy rebates to more than 6.5 million households, upgrade hundreds of thousands of homes with insulation and efficiency improvements to lower utility bills, and make major investments to stabilize energy costs statewide.
“At a time when families are feeling squeezed by rising costs, this report shows that smart climate policy can lower monthly bills while creating good-paying jobs right here in New York,” said Esther Rosario, Executive Director, Climate Jobs NY. “The Clean Air Initiative is designed to deliver meaningful and sustained economic relief for New Yorkers. This is our opportunity to create thousands of union jobs and make sure working people are leading and benefiting from the transition to clean energy.”
Under one scenario for investing the estimated $57.4 billion the Clean Air Initiative could raise over ten years, the program could deliver:
$17 billion to fund direct energy rebates, providing nearly $270 per year to more than 6.6 million households statewide
Hundreds of thousands of home upgrades, including insulation, weatherization, heat pumps, rooftop solar, and community solar access—cutting monthly energy bills while improving comfort, safety, air quality, and efficiency
$3 billion to modernize aging transmission infrastructure, strengthening the grid and shifting costs off ratepayers
$145 million to expand and improve public transit across upstate and suburban New York, helping families reduce transportation costs while improving access to jobs, schools, and essential services
Major investments in clean school buses and healthier school buildings, reducing harmful air pollution and cutting long-term health costs for families, particularly in overburdened communities
Strong workforce investments tied to every project, including prevailing wage requirements, project labor agreements, and expanded access to training and apprenticeship programs—ensuring affordability investments also create thousands of family-sustaining union jobs across New York
In addition to cost savings and economic benefits, prior analysis by DEC and NYSERDA demonstrates the Clean Air Initiative would slash harmful pollution, delivering up to $13 billion in annual health benefits by 2035 and preventing over 1,000 deaths and 137,000 emergency room visits from asthma.
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Combining affordability with the public health threats of pollution and climate change, the way forward is clear: we must take action to protect clean energy and ensure the CLCPA is protected.