We are all still reeling from Governor Hochul’s gutting of our once nation-leading ‘Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’ through the NYS Budget process.1 The rollbacks, passed by the Legislature this week, will significantly delay the implementation of the law, pushing back the release of climate regulations by 5 years and forfeiting the billions of dollars for climate mitigation and ratepayer relief the state would have accrued through its ‘cap and invest’ climate program during this time. The changes to CLCPA also reduce the state’s accountability to comply with the law by adding short-sighted and poorly defined qualifications around cost containment, feasibility and affordability that could prolong status quo reliance on volatile and expensive fossil fuels. In addition, the regressive reforms employ accounting gimmicks to paper over significant state climate emissions, changing the time frame over which methane emissions are measured to make its impacts seem less severe and ignoring out-of-state lifecycle emissions of fossil fuels used in NY. This gives a false impression of the true impact of our energy policies and allows for more pollution, contamination and expensive energy bills over time.
Rank and file New York lawmakers and the public were only given their first look at these regressive climate rollbacks mere hours before voting, which concluded a secretive and one-sided negotiation process with Hochul that delayed the State’s fiscal plan by nearly two months. After that grueling and damaging undertaking, one that could set back environmental progress by years, I think all of us feel gutted. But we can’t lose hope.
Will you send a message to the Legislature that there is still time left to repair some of this damage by passing meaningful legislation that advances renewable energy and reduces emissions?
Because of the late budget, the remainder of the legislative session has been truncated to just a little more than a week, with the Legislature going home for good after June 4th. Last year, the Senate and Assembly passed collectively more than 800 bills for the Governor to sign. So far, they have passed only 70, meaning that with one week to go, they must coordinate over many late night sessions to pass at least 700 bills to keep pace with previous years. Will you urge them to use the remainder of their time in Albany to pass meaningful legislation that helps fill the void created by these climate rollbacks?
At the top of our list of bills to reduce emissions, protect our communities and stabilize energy costs:
- Data Center Moratorium: S.9144-A /A.10141-A: Imposes a moratorium on the issuance of permits for new data centers until the DEC and PSC can establish guardrails to protect the environment and energy costs from these emerging energy hungry and polluting industries.
- Clean Deliveries Act: S.1180-C/A.3575-C: Allows DEC to regulate the emissions from heavy distribution warehouse operations - paving the way for electric trucks, less diesel exhaust, and healthier communities and workplaces.
- The NY SUNNY (Solar Up Now New York) Act: S.8512-C / A.9111-C: Would allow New Yorkers to use portable, plug-in "balcony solar" devices without facing utility red tape. It aims to lower energy bills for renters and condo owners who cannot install rooftop systems.
- Healthy Homes Right to Know Act: S.1280-B /A.73-B: Will require all new gas stoves sold in New York to come with air quality warning labels affixed to the appliance at the point of sale to educate consumers about potential health hazards that come with the unvented burning of methane and propane and their toxic co-pollutants.
Despite the bitter setback of seeing our climate law weakened, the Sierra Club is committed to redoubling our efforts to help New York reestablish itself as a global climate leader and show that there is a truly an affordable pathway forward through renewable energy development, emissions reductions and climate justice. Please join us in asking the Senate and Assembly to do the same!
1Sierra Club Condemns Rollbacks of Climate Law and SEQRA In Fiscal Year 2027 NY State Budget
