Businesses Across NYS Urge Assembly Lawmakers To Pass NY HEAT Act Before End of Session

BROOKLYN, NY (05/14/2025) (readMedia)-- Today, representatives from more than 130 representatives from businesses and clean energy stakeholders that work in New York State sent a letter to Albany leadership urging them to pass the NY HEAT Act before the end of this year's legislative session. Businesses that signed onto the letter include those based in districts represented by Assembly Members Patrick Burke, John McDonald, Amy Paulin, Gabriella Romero, Sarahana Shrestha, Tony Simone and MaryJane Shimsky.

Read the full letter here and below.

Albany lawmakers promised to prioritize affordability for New Yorkers, but their state budget last week neglected energy affordability and failed to include any provisions of the NY HEAT Act. In the letter, businesses write, "NY's laws are currently stacked in favor of gas heating, forcing ratepayers to pay for free gas pipes for those within 100 feet of a gas main and forcing utilities to provide gas as opposed superior, climate-positive heating services like geothermal that can cut heating bills and lower costs to ratepayers."

As the federal government guts programs to help people keep their heat on, the NY HEAT Act would protect New Yorkers by limiting the amount households are forced to pay for heat, alleviate rate hikes happening across the state, and save families who need help most an average of $136 each month on their bills. The Senate has passed the bill twice and included it in their one-house budget - now it's on the Assembly to stop delaying and deliver.

The letter also urged Albany to pass the Geothermal Tax Credit Expansion Act, which would raise the cap on the existing tax credit and expand access to households statewide. Thankfully, state lawmakers included the bill in this year's state budget - now, they must finish the job and pass the NY HEAT Act.

Background

As of September 2024, approximately 1 in 7 households in New York was two months or more behind on their energy bills. This crisis is impacting more than 1.2 million families, who are collectively in debt more than $1.3 billion dollars to utilities. According to a recent report from AGREE, since 2022, every major gas utility in New York State has raised the cost of energy for their customers:

• For Con Edison customers, the average monthly cost of gas heating has increased by nearly $50 since 2022 - from $205 to $253.
• For National Grid customers in NYC, the average monthly cost of gas heating has increased by more than $60 between 2023 and 2026 - from $110 to $172. For National Grid customers in Long Island, the average monthly cost of gas heating will increase by nearly the same amount - from $105 to $165.
• For Central Hudson customers, the average monthly cost of gas heating has increased more than $20 since 2022- from $138 to $157.
• For National Fuel Gas customers, the average monthly cost of gas heating has increased by nearly $15 - from $81 to $94 - since just 2023.

The Home Energy Affordable Transition Act, also known as the NY HEAT Act, will reduce the expansion of New York's outdated and dangerous fracked gas system and save the 1 in 4 New Yorkers who struggle to pay their energy bills an average of $136 every month. The bill modernizes archaic state laws that force New Yorkers to pay hundreds of millions of dollars each year to subsidize new fracked gas hookups and pipelines. It would limit households' energy burdens and would allow utilities to provide cheaper and clean heating alternatives at no additional cost to customers – a win-win for New Yorkers and the environment.

The NY HEAT Act will also free New Yorkers from the gas mandate (also known as "the utility obligation to serve gas"), an antiquated state law that locks utilities, and consequently the vast majority of New Yorkers, into the dirty, expensive, aging gas system for heat. Because of the gas mandate, one home that wants to stay on the gas system can be the deciding factor for an entire neighborhood that would otherwise have the opportunity to receive cheaper, cleaner heating alternatives from their utility. The NY HEAT Act would require utilities to provide easy access to the most affordable and healthier heating options for their families.

According to a Siena Poll, New Yorkers agree by an overwhelming 58% to 26% that the legislature should pass the NY HEAT Act. Support for the NY HEAT Act is popular across party lines, with 67% of Democrats, 47% of Republicans, and 55% of independents agreeing it should pass. The bill is also popular with 60% of upstate voters, 55% of union households, and across income groups. 74% of Black voters and 70% of Latino voters also support the legislation. An even larger share, 51 - 17%, said that lawmakers did not do enough to improve the quality of life during last year's legislative session.

State action against climate change is crucial as Trump takes office and vows to go all-in on fossil fuels. 2024 was the hottest year on record, and New Yorkers experienced wildfires, flooding, and tornadoes. The NY HEAT Act will help New York fight climate change and it will protect New Yorkers from an unpredictable Trump administration by helping to stabilize heat and energy prices.