Media Contact:
Jason Brown
BDC NY Communications Manager
jbrown@buildingdecarb.org
(917) 548-4451
NY Legislature Fails to Seize Opportunity To Lower Energy Bills,
Create More Clean Energy Jobs, and Reduce Climate Emissions in their FY 2025 Budget
Lack of Action Exposes New York Families to Massive Increases in Their Energy Bills as
Utilities Continue to Waste Billions on the State’s Outdated Gas Distribution System
ALBANY, N.Y. April 19, 2024 – Lisa Dix, New York Director for the Building Decarbonization Coalition (BDC), provided the following statement in response to the announcement that Governor Hochul, the New York State Senate, and the New York State Assembly reached an agreement on the New York State Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Budget:
“We are disappointed that the New York State Legislature failed to seize the opportunity to lower New Yorkers’ utility energy bills, create more union careers in the clean energy industry, and reduce climate emissions by leaving out the NY HEAT Act and funding for the union-led construction of thermal energy networks at the University at Buffalo (UB) and SUNY Purchase College in this year’s budget.
Because of Speaker Heastie and the New York State Assembly’s inaction on NY HEAT, New York continues to not have a plan in place to avoid billions in wasteful spending by utilities on the expansion and maintenance of the state’s outdated gas distribution system, which exposes New York’s families to massive increases in their energy bills over the coming years.
The New York State Assembly also passed up the chance to lead by example in decarbonizing state campuses by not investing in the union-led construction of energy-efficient thermal energy network projects at UB and Purchase College. These neighborhood-scale clean heating and cooling projects would catalyze the development of the clean energy union workforce the state needs to quickly, fully, and equitably decarbonize its entire built environment.
However, there is common ground and a path forward for New York to protect energy affordability while empowering utilities and the Public Service Commission (PSC) to plan for a thoughtful, equitable, and cost-effective transition to clean heating and cooling. We call on Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and the New York State Assembly to work together with Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and the New York State Senate on legislation that will remove subsidies for gas system expansion like the ‘100-foot rule’, and clear other barriers that are hindering the adoption of building decarbonization solutions that will scale clean heating and cooling in the state, ensure affordable energy bills for New York families, and pave the way for a just clean energy transition with union jobs.
If the legislature steps up and leads, New York can achieve its climate emission reduction goals and lower families’ energy bills with clean energy projects constructed, operated, and maintained by a union-led workforce. They will also strengthen New York’s position as a national building decarbonization leader, and provide the rest of our country with a model for how they can also implement a phased, managed, and just transition to zero-emissions heating and cooling.”
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ABOUT THE BUILDING DECARBONIZATION COALITION
The Building Decarbonization Coalition (BDC) unites stakeholders on a path to transform the nation’s buildings through clean energy, using policy, research, market development and public engagement. The BDC and its members are charting the course to eliminate fossil fuels in buildings to improve people’s health, cut climate and air pollution, prioritize high-road jobs, and ensure that our communities are more resilient to the impacts of climate change. Learn more at www.buildingdecarb.org