ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB) — Protesters blocked the main entrance to the governor’s office at the State Capitol in Albany Tuesday, demonstrating against Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed changes to New York state climate laws.
Eighteen protesters were arrested for obstructing governmental administration, a misdemeanor, according to authorities.
The protest follows a recent report from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority indicating some households could see energy costs increase by thousands of dollars per year as the state works to meet its climate goals. That report prompted Governor Hochul to call for potential changes to the state’s climate laws.
Advocates protesting Tuesday argue rising utility costs are largely due to extreme heat and other effects of climate change, as well as the impact of the ongoing war in Iran on global oil production. They say weakening the state’s climate laws would further harm the environment.
State Republicans, meanwhile, have called for those climate laws to be overturned, blaming them directly for rising utility costs.
The following people were arrested:
Maria E. Beri, 70 of New York, NY
Orion R. Blake, 37 of Warwick, NY
Christian S. Celeste Tate, 32 of Brooklyn, NY
Christopher H. Dean, 65 of Douglaston, NY
Norman S. Frazier, 74 of Brooklyn, NY
James E. Gordon, 67 of New Paltz, NY
Michael S. Greenberg, 32 of Potomac, MD
Hilary L. Justino, 52 of Loudonville, NY
Aviv Kresch, 25 of Brooklyn, NY
Edward L. Massey, 65 of Brooklyn, NY
Walter J. Masterson, 48 of Brooklyn, NY
Santosh K. Nandabalan, 35 of Brooklyn, NY
Gregory M. Schwedock, 38, of New York, NY
Peter J. Sikora, 51 of Brooklyn, NY
Jeff Strabone,55 of Brooklyn, NY
William K. Tai, 69 of Brooklyn, NY
Jonathan M. Westin, 42 of Brooklyn, NY
Jesse S. McDermott-Hughes, 27 of Highland Park, NY