Lawmakers, Developers, Residents Urge Gov Hochul to Lower Energy Bills By Repealing 100-Foot Rule!

ALBANY, NY (11/20/2025) (readMedia)-- Today, at New York's first all-electric skyscraper, lawmakers, developers, and residents rallied to urge Governor Hochul to sign legislation to repeal the "100-foot rule." The group rallied with a wheelbarrow piled high with 5,810 "100 Grand" candy bars, representing the $581,000,000 New Yorkers could save on their energy bills if Governor Hochul repeals this handout to corporate utilities.

Watch a recording here.

In June, Albany lawmakers voted to end the outdated 100 foot rule law, which allows utilities to expand the polluting gas system on New Yorkers' dime. Governor Hochul is reportedly considering signing the bill, and now she can deliver on her promise to rein in utilities and save New Yorkers money by signing it into law.

Even as more families struggle to afford their energy bills, Con Edison and National Grid are continuing to raise rates on New Yorkers so they can build new gas pipes and bring in record profits. Con Edison dropped their initial proposal to raise energy bills by over $100/month, but their revised plan would still increase bills over the next three years and cost the average household nearly $100 more for gas in just the first year. National Grid is already raising bills under a three-year plan, which will increase the average gas bills by hundreds of dollars each year! Repealing the 100-foot rule would stop utilities from saddling New Yorkers with millions to expand the system that is already unaffordable, preserving the ability for families to stay on gas if they want to while enabling utilities to invest in cleaner, more affordable energy.

"Right now, utility companies have a blank check to expand polluting gas infrastructure and push those costs onto hardworking New Yorkers. Repealing the outdated 100-foot rule will save New Yorkers money and incentivize cleaner, cheaper energy alternatives. It's a win for our climate and a win for a more affordable New York. I urge Governor Hochul to end the 100-foot rule and make New York more affordable for all," said Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, prime sponsor of A888.

"As the temperature drops, my constituents are bracing themselves for the return of winter gas bills. If you have natural gas in your home you know firsthand how horrifically expensive it is. The supply charges are bad but the delivery charges are even worse - constituents have shared bills with my office showing gas delivery charges that are five, six, seven times the cost of the amount of gas used. It's unacceptable to pay this much for energy that is poisoning our homes and warming our planet. For the health of our planet and our pocketbooks, we must transition away from using gas as quickly as we possibly can. Ending the 100-foot rule is a small but important step in the right direction, as it will enable utility companies to stop forcing all ratepayers to subsidize the building of new gas lines. I urge the Governor to sign this bill into law as soon as possible," said Assemblymember Dana Levenberg.

"Signing the 100-ft rule repeal is an opportunity for the governor to provide real relief for gas customers and deliver real action to fight the climate crisis that is also rapidly driving up New Yorkers' costs. This bill will save almost $600 million every year, and ensure that you are no longer forced, without any choice, to pay for your neighbor's new gas hookup. This bill is smart policy that delivers for New Yorkers on affordability and climate action, and I urge the governor to sign it soon," said Senator Liz Krueger.

"Repealing the 100-foot rule is a critical step toward relieving New Yorkers of the unnecessary costs they are forced to shoulder when we continue expanding an outdated fracked-gas system," said Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes. "As a State, we have a responsibility to uphold the highest standards when it comes to how we power the homes of New Yorkers. Now is the time to prove that we are committed to a greener and more affordable New York."

"Life in New York is already unaffordable, and energy bills just keep going up. No family should have to choose between eating and heating. By not signing the 100ft rule repeal bill, Governor Hochul is racking up nearly $600 million in energy costs every year. It's time for the governor to do something about our unaffordability crisis and sign the bill NOW," said Betta Broad, Director of Organizing and Advocacy at the Association for Energy Affordability.

"I know from experience that living without fracked gas is safer and more affordable. Since moving into my all-electric apartment, my energy bills have plummeted to barely $100 a month. That's why Governor Hochul needs to sign the bill to repeal the 100-ft rule and ensure all New Yorkers can afford to stay warm," said Valeria Rincon, resident at New York's first all-electric skyscraper.

"With two kids and the cost of just about everything going up, it's hard not to think about looming winter gas bills. So it's frustrating that Governor Hochul is sitting on a bill that will save New Yorkers money as well as speed the transition to cleaner air for our children!" said Ella Ryan, co-chair of Climate Families NYC, and parent of two.

"Ending the 100-foot rule is an essential step toward protecting New Yorkers from unaffordable gas bills and accelerating our transition to cleaner, safer energy," said Eric Weltman, New York Senior Organizer at Food & Water Watch. "This outdated subsidy props up a fossil fuel system that is failing our communities and draining our wallets. Governor Hochul has a clear opportunity to lower costs and advance climate action - she should sign this bill without delay."

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.

Today, 1 in 4 New York households cannot afford their energy bills, according to an estimate from the Alliance for a Green Economy. At the same time, the Trump administration has cut LIHEAP, a crucial energy assistance program which New York relies on more than any other state, and suspended the federal Weatherization Assistance Program - both of which help fill the gaps and reduce energy costs for low-income households.

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