Concerned that New York Governor Kathy Hochul may be backing away from implementing the state’s climate law, Environmental Advocates NY issued the following:
On February 26, news outlets reported on a leaked memo from the New York State Energy
Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) — the contents widely interpreted as a
signal that the Governor intends to roll back provisions of New York’s climate law, the Climate
Leadership & Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
Such a rollback could involve lowering emissions reduction targets, extending deadlines, or
other changes to the law. The effect of such changes would be to increase costs for households
and the state, harming affordability and our communities’ public health.
The memo suggests that taking steps to implement the CLCPA — including the cap-and-invest
program, branded as the Clean Air Initiative — could exacerbate energy affordability concerns
for New Yorkers. But its analysis is intentionally misleading. It omits consumer protection
guardrails provided for in the law, assumes the law will be implemented in the most expensive
way, and ignores the cost savings and other benefits that households would see as the
transition to renewables accelerated. It is also at odds with the Governor’s own administration’s
prior analyses, which were developed through a transparent public process.
The memo comes after the Governor delayed CLCPA implementation for so long that she faced
a lawsuit, which she lost in October. The court ordered her either to release regulations to
implement the law that were required two years ago, or to engage with the legislature to change
the law.
New York lawmakers must stand firm. Reducing our reliance on fossil fuels is one of the best
things we can do to create a more affordable and more sustainable New York. The right thing for Governor Hochul to do is faithfully commit to implementing the CLCPA — including by issuing draft regulations for the Clean Air Initiative as she is legally required to do.
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EnviroPolitics covers political, environmental, and energy news, legislation, and regulation in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Delaware.
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