Better Buildings NY Applauds Governor Hochul's 2024 Budget

ALBANY, NY (01/16/2024) (readMedia)-- Today, Governor Kathy Hochul released her executive budget, including key provisions of the NY HEAT Act that will enable an affordable transition for New York's expensive, climate change-accelerating fracked gas system.

Sonal Jessel, Policy Director at WE ACT, a member organization of Better Buildings NY, released the following statement in response:

"Once again, Governor Hochul is positioning New York as a national leader in the fight against climate change by including key provisions of the NY HEAT Act in her budget. Ending the "100-foot rule" and paving the way for zero-emission buildings will save New Yorkers more than $200 million every year, and allow us to invest in healthy, clean buildings instead of spending billions on new gas pipes. It's a huge step forward toward an affordable, clean energy future. But New Yorkers statewide are facing massive energy rate hikes, and Governor Hochul left out a crucial provision of the NY HEAT Act that limits household utility bills to 6% of income for low- and middle-income families, saving them up to $75/month. We need to do more to ensure the hardworking families facing the highest energy burdens don't get left behind. We urge both houses of the legislature to include the entirety of the NY HEAT Act in their one-house budgets, including the crucial 6% income limit. New York can lead the clean energy revolution, but only if it includes us all."

According to a Siena Poll, 8 in 10 New Yorkers across party lines agree that the high cost of living in New York is a major problem. Higher energy costs, worsened by double-digit rate hikes from ConEd, National Grid, RG&E, NYSEG, National Fuel Gas, and Central Hudson, have only exacerbated the cost of living problem.

The NY HEAT Act, which has 74 sponsors in the NYS Assembly and passed the NYS Senate last year, will stop the expansion of the dirty, outdated fracked gas system to protect the climate. It will reduce future rate increases by prioritizing clean energy investments, instead of spending billions of dollars on new fracked gas pipes. Crucially, the NY HEAT Act will limit energy bills to 6% of household income, saving low and middle-income New Yorkers not part of utility Energy Affordability Programs up to $75/month on their energy bills. The bill also gets rid of the unfair 100-foot rule, which forces New York families to subsidize new gas hookups to the tune of $200 million every year while accelerating fossil fuel-generated climate change that supercharges storms, floods, and wildfires – turning the sky orange and the air toxic – and drives deadly extreme heat and cold.

About Better Buildings New York

BBNY is a network of organizations working for the equitable decarbonization of homes and buildings in New York State. We are committed to environmental justice and a just transition to all-electric homes and buildings.

*$75/month savings calculated using 9.3% average energy burden in the NYC metro area for low-income families, reduced to 6%, for a one-person household at 200% of the federal poverty level income of $27,180.