New York’s Promise — A Clean Energy Future
New York is off to the races as the 2023–24 State Budget negotiations are in the home stretch. Some early agreement between the legislature and executive branch indicates a positive outlook for achieving the clean energy future promised by the state’s landmark Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act. But we’re not there yet.
Two bills currently pending in this year’s state budget process will be pivotal to instituting decisions and frameworks that protect New Yorkers from rising energy costs while supporting the continued growth of jobs in the building decarbonization and electrification sector. They are also critical to the state meeting its mandated-by-law climate goals.
· NY Home Energy Affordable Transition (HEAT) Act (S2016/A4592) — Would eliminate subsidies for new gas hookups (the “100-foot rule”) and empower the Public Service Commission to carefully transition utilities toward zero-emissions heating/cooling. It would also create jobs at the neighborhood scale while addressing operating costs with strategic gas system downsizing.
· All-Electric New Building Act (S00562A/A00920A) — Would require new buildings to be all-electric and highly efficient.
Since passing its Climate Act in 2019, New York has worked at an impressive pace to model scenarios, listen to the public, intentionally embed equity, and receive recommendations from community experts and advisory panels. After diligent work and thorough analysis, the state’s Climate Action Council approved the final scoping plan in December 2022 — mapping out how to create a regenerative, net zero economy by 2050.
Last year saw significant progress. By passing the Advance Building Codes, Appliance & Equipment Efficiency Act, New Yorkers will save $15 billion over the next 15 years through efficiency and higher performance standards. But advanced codes and standards are only one part of a managed, orderly transition to a future of clean and efficient buildings. The NY HEAT Act and All-Electric New Building Act represent the other half of the equation–and with buildings being the state’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, these two pieces of legislation are needed for New York to execute on strategic gas planning that will help control consumer bill impacts and ensure an equitable clean energy transition.
The path to a just clean energy future in New York has been defined and mandated by the state’s Climate Act. And this path can be one of prosperity and growth– creating jobs, improving quality of life and offering New Yorkers some much needed tools for battling the increasingly severe impacts of the climate crisis.
With a negotiated budget scheduled to be released any day now, we will see if the legislature follows this mandate and acts for the benefit of their constituents by including the NY HEAT and All-Electric New Building Acts–solidifying the state’s legacy of bold climate and clean energy policies that have made it a national leader for clean energy and climate action.
