Gov Hochul's Climate Week News Ignores ONLY Climate Bill on Her Desk to Cut Emissions, Rein in Utility Profits

NEW YORK, NY (09/24/2025) (readMedia)-- Today, at a United States Climate Alliance event, Governor Kathy Hochul celebrated New York's "action" to fight climate change and touted more than $1B the State approved months ago to lower emissions - all while she sits on legislation that would curb the expansion of fossil fuels in New York.

"We agree with the Governor that states can and should take action to lead on climate where the federal government won't. That's why she should sign the one climate bill on her desk to stop utilities from charging everyday people to build new dirty gas pipes on our dime. If the Governor really wants to lead on climate and make life more affordable for every day New Yorkers struggling to pay their energy bills, she should join other Blue states across the country who are ending subsidies for gas utilities and sign this legislation to repeal the 100-foot rule today!" said Liz Moran, New York Policy Advocate at Earthjustice.

While the Governor is promising action, she has yet to sign the only major climate legislation passed by the legislature this year. The 100-foot rule repeal would end a decades-old subsidy that allows utilities to charge New Yorkers more to expand the state's fracked gas system. Repealing the 100-foot rule would save New Yorkers an estimated $200 million every year, and level the playing field for a cleaner, more affordable energy future instead of saddling New Yorkers with millions to expand the dirty system that causes climate change is increasingly unaffordable.

At today's Climate Alliance event, Governor Hochul proudly stated, "we refuse to be derailed [by the Trump administration]... we must hold firm and continue creative ways to protect the environment." The reality is unfortunately very different:

• In the last several years, Governor Hochul has repeatedly cancelled or delayed crucial renewable energy projects that would reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Last year, she abandoned a crucial transmission line project that would deliver offshore wind power to New York City and cancelled the Clean Path transmission line in Upstate New York.
• The Governor has also derailed the implementation of New York's nation-leading Climate Law, and is currently being sued for willingly missing the State's emissions targets as required by law.
• Governor Hochul has delayed critical climate requirements, including New York's Cap and Invest program, new Climate Law regulations, and rules for how the State accounts for methane emissions that would make gas appear cleaner overnight.
• The Governor has also defunded critical energy affordability and climate programs that help New Yorkers to upgrade their homes and fill the gap for low-income New Yorkers struggling to afford their energy bills, including cutting funding for the Empower+ program (which she announced today would receive only $50M from the state budget, far less than in previous years). NYSERDA has announced the program would be cut by two-thirds over the next two years.
• She also appears to have cut a deal with the Trump administration to revive two major fracked gas pipelines that would keep New York reliant on fossil fuels for decades to come.

Background

As the cost of building and maintaining our aging gas infrastructure continues to rise, utilities across the state have raised rates to pass those costs onto customers and keep us hooked on a fracked gas system that is already unaffordable. Since 2022, every major New York gas utility has raised costs on consumers, causing more than 1.2 million families to fall behind on their energy bills. At the same time, the Trump administration has threatened federal energy affordability programs, making state action even more essential.

As energy bills continue to rise across the country, other states are considering ending similar subsidies for gas utilities. Last month, Massachusetts state regulators issued an order to end their own version of the 100-foot rule, joining California, Colorado, Connecticut, and Maryland as the first states to repeal outdated gas mandates that cost ratepayers more money.