Faith Leaders, NYC Electeds Demand Albany Protect Climate Law as Gov. Pushes For Fossil Fuels From Hell

NEW YORK, NY (04/16/2026) (readMedia)-- Today, faith leaders from across New York rallied in Union Square against Governor Hochul's attempt to weaken the state's Climate Law and keep us stuck on dirty and expensive fossil fuels. Last month, the Governor continued her hard pivot to fossil fuels and revealed her plan to gut the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) under the guise of "affordability." Now, New Yorkers are demanding that state lawmakers hold the line and reject the Governor's push to sacrifice our future so she can score political points and appease her fossil fuel donors.

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Watch a recording of the event here.

"Governor Hochul's attempts to roll back the very climate commitments meant to protect vulnerable communities is a policy failure and a moral failure. Scripture is clear. In Deuteronomy 30:19, God says, "I have set before you life and death...choose life." Rolling back the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act is not choosing life. It is choosing to sacrifice and choke the lives of the most vulnerable among us....Governor Hochul, will you choose a life-giving future, or continue down a path that deals in death?" Rev. Mira Sawlani-Joyner, Minister of Justice, Advocacy and Change at The Riverside Church in New York City, said on behalf of GreenFaith.

Last month, the Governor revealed her plan to gut New York's Climate Law and maintain the fossil fuel status quo in the name of "affordability" - even though New Yorkers' high energy bills are being caused by skyrocketing gas prices. Instead of investing in renewable energy to actually lower energy bills, the Governor is trying to force state lawmakers to accept a proposal to change how the state accounts for methane so it appears our emissions have declined when they have not. Her proposal would also delay requirements to implement regulations under the law until December 31, 2030, pushing climate obligations back years.

The Governor's push follows a series of contradictory and misleading excuses for why she is seeking to renege on New York's climate commitments, all while trying to portray herself as a climate champion. In recent weeks, she has pointed to a memo from her own administration that suggested implementing the CLCPA will lead to higher energy bills - a claim that lawmakers in her own party have rejected. She has also suggested that New Yorkers are overpaying for energy because of the CLCPA and that amending the law will save New Yorkers money in the short-term, which she later admitted was "false." She even cited the Trump administration's attack on Iran as an excuse to roll back the CLCPA, claiming it would somehow "protect consumers" who are already suffering from high energy bills.

Despite Hochul's posturing, delaying climate action will do nothing to lower New Yorkers' energy bills because it won't reduce the state's reliance on costly and volatile methane gas - the true driver of higher energy bills. Gas prices were already at an all-time high before the war in Iran caused them to skyrocket further, while 1 in 4 New Yorkers already cannot afford their energy bills. Weakening the law will only enable utilities to continue profiting from expensive, imported fossil fuels, while New Yorkers continue to struggle with skyrocketing utility bills.

"As a cosponsor of The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019, I was proud to vote to create a structure and framework to drive a just transition to clean energy and put New York firmly on the path to climate neutrality," said Council Member Harvey Epstein. "At a moment when the climate crisis is accelerating, we cannot afford to backtrack. I urge my colleagues at every level of government to reject any proposed rollbacks to the CLCPA and stand firm in our commitment to climate justice, public health, and a livable future for all New Yorkers."

"Rolling back our climate commitments does not make life better for New Yorkers. When 1 in 4 families cannot afford their utility bills, doubling down on fossil fuels during an energy crisis will only drive costs higher," said Council Member Julie Won. "As flooding becomes more frequent in every neighborhood--regardless of socioeconomic status--and low-income communities continue to bear the brunt of air pollution, turning away from our climate goals puts all of us at risk. Climate policy is an essential priority, and the only responsible path forward is to honor our commitments and move ahead with the original climate agreement."

"We cannot kick the can down the road on the climate crisis. We must protect the communities most impacted by the climate crisis and we cannot undermine or delay the state's climate laws," said Council Member Sandy Nurse. "Governor Hochul must stay committed to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. The CLCPA is the key to fighting back against the increasing wave of environmental crises and investing in local green economies."

Thankfully, lawmakers - including leaders in her own party - are refusing to take the bait. Earlier this month, over 30 state lawmakers rallied at the Capitol to demand the Legislature protect our Climate Law and urge the Governor to implement clean energy and energy efficiency solutions that actually lower New Yorkers' energy bills. In March, more than two-thirds of Senate Democrats signed a letter pushing back on Hochul's claims and urging her not to "abandon our commitment to climate progress."

Protecting our Climate Law is New York's best bet to transition to a fairer, cleaner energy system that is efficient and affordable. Implementing the Climate Law will lower energy bills and create tens of thousands of jobs. Doing nothing and maintaining the current fossil fuel status quo will cost New Yorkers more than $115 billion, according to the State's own data.

Other countries have already figured this out. In response to rising gas prices, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Pakistan have invested more in renewables to lower costs and achieve energy independence. Even red states are following suit: Texas got nearly 40% of its power from cost-effective wind and solar in 2025, while New York has just recently reached around 10% from renewables.

"The Governor is full of excuses for why New Yorkers can't have the safe, clean, and affordable future we deserve," said Stephan Edel, Executive Director of NY Renews. "But in truth, if she wanted to act, she could. It's the Governor's own attacks on the climate law that will lead to $9,000 in additional household energy bill costs, 150,000 lost jobs, and up to $60 billion in lost climate revenue for New York State. This is money we could use to build solar and battery storage systems, fund public transportation, increase green spaces, weatherize and electrify homes, and lower energy bills. Governor Hochul: No more excuses. New Yorkers - particularly Black, brown, and low-income communities bearing the brunt of the climate crisis - deserve clean air and a livable future."

"The moral/religious voice is clearly speaking to us in this moment about the need to protect life and to mitigate suffering. It sounds so simple to say and it's obviously hard to do, but you can't bring change without committing to the change. We shouldn't even be having a conversation about backtracking. We should be embracing the climate law and holding fast to its mandates. The CLCPA is the path forward and every delay is a failure of vision, courage, and compassion," said Jeff Levy-Lyons, co-director of JCAN: Jewish Climate Action NYC.

Kim Fraczek, Director of Sane Energy Project said, "New Yorkers are not facing a 'climate law problem', we are facing a fossil fuel dependence problem. Global instability is exposing how fragile and expensive that system is. We need collective vision and action toward ecological justice that unites social equity with ecological integrity. At this moment, Governor Hochul is choosing the false ease of continued fossil fuel dependence instead of a just transition. And we will be watching how legislators respond, because it takes real leadership to move us out of this toxic system, not manage it."

"Weakening the climate law would be yet another giveaway to the fossil fuel industry. We're calling on the Governor and the Legislature to stand with the people, not corporate polluters. We can't keep wasting money on fossil fuels like "natural" gas, especially when war, extreme weather disasters, and pipeline buildouts are pushing gas prices to all-time highs with no end in sight. It's time to upgrade and save with clean, renewable energy." said Jen Rand, an organizer with New Yorkers for Clean Power.

"Rolling back the climate law is tantamount to poisoning New Yorkers, and sticking us with the bill to buy the poison. Hochul wants to gut the law to save her own neck in court, but the legislature is accountable to their constituents, not to Hochul or her legal woes. Senate President Stewart Cousins and Speaker Heastie know that New Yorkers need relief from pollution and high energy bills. They must continue to hold the line against Hochul's backroom pressure and defend the climate law in its entirety," said Laura Shindell, New York State Director of Food & Water Watch.

"Climate law rollbacks are not the answer. Our working class communities are experiencing an onslaught of compounding costs. Whether it be housing, grocery costs, utility costs and much more. Rolling back the climate law and continuing our dependence on fossil fuels will worsen the local health of residents, increase utility costs, and accelerate climate disasters. We need cost efficient and clean energy alternatives to ensure our communities can prosper and be healthy. Governor Hochul must defend the Climate law and not accept any rollbacks. New Yorkers' ability to have a dignified quality life depends on it," said Denise Rebeil, Housing and Environmental Justice Lead Organizer, Make the Road New York.