FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2022
Contact:
Neal Kwatra, Metropolitan Strategies, kwatraneal@gmail.com
William Thomas, Butler Associates, 646-213-1342, wthomas@butlerpr.com
Jessica Azulay, AGREE, 917-697-4472, jessica@agreenewyork.org
Maritza Silva-Ferrell, ALIGN, 646-866-4015, maritza@alignny.org
Albany, NY — The New York State Legislature today passed the Utility Thermal Energy Network and Jobs Act (S9422, A10493). The landmark bill, passed unanimously in the state Senate and 138-5 in the Assembly, represents a victory for labor unions and climate advocates. The bill will preserve and add good union jobs that will decarbonize buildings at scale and remove barriers that were impeding the implementation of New York’s climate law.
The bill was also supported by consumer advocates and every New York utility. Labor, climate and environmental leaders are urging Governor Hochul to sign the bill as soon as possible to enable construction of neighborhood-scale “thermal energy networks” to help bring affordable, renewable heating and cooling to utility customers.
In response to passage of the bill today, unions, environmental leaders, and supporting organizations released the following statement:
By coming together to pass this first-in-the-nation thermal energy network and jobs bill, we have shown how quickly we can change policy to deliver both sustainable union jobs and advance climate solutions at scale. We thank the legislature for their leadership and for delivering this victory.
We call on Governor Hochul to act quickly and sign this bill into law. We look forward to working together to put New York’s skilled labor force and climate and clean energy expertise to work getting thermal energy networks in the ground and delivering renewable heating and cooling at a neighborhood scale. We are committed to continuing to work together to deliver on the environmental, equity, and just transition mandates in New York’s climate law, the CLCPA.
The above statement can be attributed to the following organizations:
United Association of Plumbers, Pipefitters and Sprinkler Fitters
Building Decarbonization Coalition
Alliance for a Green Economy
New York League of Conservation Voters
New York AFL-CIO
New York Building and Construction Trades
Utility Workers 1-2
ALIGN NY
Sierra Club
NYPIRG
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