Lawmakers Take Hot, Broke Summer Ice Cream Tour to Inwood + Bronx; Fight Rising Energy Bills & Climate Change

BRONX, NY (09/12/2023) (readMedia)-- It's "hot, broke summer," with soaring heat and skyrocketing energy bills, and Upper Manhattan and Bronx residents and elected officials are demanding relief from Governor Hochul in the form of NY-HEAT, a bill that would fight climate change and save working New Yorkers $75 per month on their energy bills. Following the kick-off in Brooklyn and tours of Manhattan and Queens, elected leaders and advocates are passing out free ice cream on this still hot, September day to help constituents stay cool and promote awareness of the legislation.

New Yorkers lived through several extreme weather events this summer, and are paying increasingly expensive utility bills thanks to ConEd rate hikes, effective as of August. ConEd's 2023 earnings are, so far, more than double those in 2022, yet the company raised energy prices around 9% in August and will raise them another 4% in January 2024. It's only going to get worse unless New York gets off fossil fuels, and the NY HEAT Act is the solution: legislation that would save New Yorkers $75/month on their energy bills and cut the greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change. Lawmakers and advocates are calling on Governor Hochul to offer more than just warnings to "stay safe," by committing to including the NY HEAT Act in her 2024 executive budget. The bill passed the senate in June, and already has 70 co-sponsors in the Assembly.

The Hot, Broke Summer FREE ice cream tour is wrapping up today with stops in Inwood and across the Bronx to build support for the NY HEAT Act.

See video and images from the event here.

The truck is making the following stops:

• 210 Sherman Ave in Inwood with Assembly Member Manny De Los Santos
• 1973 Westchester Ave in Parkchester with Assembly Member Karines Reyes
• White Plains Rd and Bruckner Blvd (outside Bruckner Commons) in Castle Hill with Assembly Member Kenny Burgos
• 161st St and Grand Concourse in the South Bronx with Assembly Members Chantel Jackson and Amanda Septimo
• 181st St. and Morris Ave. in front of PS 79 in University Heights with Assembly Member Yudelka Tapia

"This summer, Bronx communities of color were on the frontlines of pollution and skyrocketing energy bills. But the NY HEAT Act offers critical protections that would reduce pollution and save Bronxites up to $75 every month. My constituents need this crucial legislation. Governor Hochul and the Assembly must pass NY HEAT," said Assembly Member Karines Reyes.

"The average median income for the South Bronx is around $30,000, but the average household spends over $200 a month for electricity and utility bills to keep their families safe, fed, and successful. Families are spending 8-10% of their monthly income to keep their homes, heat and cool them, and keep the lights on. We are calling on Governor Hochul to support the NY-HEAT act and call attention to electricity bills that have surpassed the national average for utility services by 6% or higher. It is time to apply accessible and sustainable practices to our most basic community needs, and we can support New Yorkers' rights to just electric pricing through NY-HEAT," said Assembly Member Amanda Septimo.

Assembly Member Manny De Los Santos, MSW, said, "We're taking part in this tour to raise awareness and support the NY HEAT Act. It's time that we stop expanding fracked gas systems while helping New Yorkers save $75 a month on their energy bills. It's a win not only for environmental justice but for community members as well."

The NY Heat Act, which aims to ensure an equitable and affordable transition, especially benefiting low-to middle-income households, is important, says Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia. "These families, like many in my district, frequently pay a disproportionate amount of their income toward utility bills-up to three times as much as other New York state households-as a result of rising energy costs and fluctuating gas prices."

"Fossil fuels are driving the dangerous heat, toxic air and skyrocketing fuel costs that characterize New Yorkers' hot, broke summer," said Food & Water Watch Senior NY Organizer Laura Shindell. "We need bold action from Governor Hochul to finish what she started in signing our nation-leading gas ban into effect this year. Buildings are New York's largest polluters - the work to move them off fossil fuels is not complete without NY HEAT."

"As the climate crisis persists, so does our fight against rising energy costs. The NY HEAT Act offers a solution to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save working New Yorkers up to $75 a month on energy costs," said Comptroller Brad Lander. "Driving the change toward a cooler New York City summer starts one scoop at a time!"

"I am glad to support the NY-HEAT Act and participate in this Ice Cream Tour to help raise awareness in my community, not only because it aims to help my constituents save money but also to improve our environment. This is a great initiative to promote civic engagement and educate people about climate change and environmental advocacy," said Assembly Member Chantel Jackson.

"It has been the hottest summer on record, and New Yorkers are paying for it. Low- and middle-income households are the most impacted by rising energy costs, paying three times more of their income on energy bills than non-low income households," said Annie Carforo, Climate Justice Campaign Manager at WE ACT for Environmental Justice. "The NY HEAT Act would cap energy bills at 6% of household income for these families, saving them up to $75 per month. That can go towards groceries, medicine, and rent – nobody should be forced to choose between these basic necessities."

Extreme weather defined summer 2023 in New York. Last week's three-day heat wave sent temperatures 20 degrees higher than usual. July was the planet's hottest month on record. Heat kills about 350 New Yorkers each year, with Black New Yorkers more than twice as likely to die from heat as white residents. This number will likely rise as climate change worsens. And according to research in the New York Times, heat waves across the United States would have been 'virtually impossible' without the influence of human-caused climate change.

It's not just extreme heat costing New Yorkers' lives and wallets because of climate change. New Yorkers choked on toxic air several times throughout this summer thanks to smoke from the Canadian wildfires. During the first 'Smoke Bomb,' NYC ERs saw double the usual amount of asthma visits. And earlier in July, Assembly Member Sarahana Shrestha held a press conference at the Rhinecliff Amtrak Station, demanding the Assembly pass the NY HEAT Act following the devastating flooding in the Hudson Valley. The torrential rainfall with 9 inches of rain in over 24 hours killed an Orange County resident. It also knocked out Amtrak and Metro North service for three days and completely washed away highways, making it impossible for people to get to work. The damage from the flooding is estimated to cost New Yorkers over $35 million.

The NY HEAT Act would accelerate New York's transition off the climate-killing fossil fuels that increase greenhouse gas emissions and cause public health and environmental crises like extreme heat, flooding, and wildfire smoke. It would also save low and middle income families money – up to $75/month – on their energy bills by capping them at 6% of income. That's significant savings for families that already spend three times more of their income on energy bills than other households. The bill would save all New Yorkers $200 million annually by ending the 100-foot rule, which forces every day New Yorkers to subsidize the expansion of the gas system.

??Background

In 2022 and 2023, NY HEAT gained serious momentum but was blocked by campaigns financed by the fossil fuel industry. In 2023, the utility National Grid used ratepayer money to finance a campaign against the NY HEAT Act. And a campaign financed by the fossil fuel industry that spread disinformation and lies derailed the bill. The industry set up a front group called New Yorkers for Affordable Energy to preserve the status quo. A report from Little Sis reviewed the organization's tax filings which show that its mission is "to expand natural gas service." The group is meant to have the appearance of a grassroots coalition, but it was founded and is run by fossil fuel executives. From the report: "The coalition is backed by a range of fossil fuel companies and lobbying groups, including utility companies National Fuel and National Grid; pipeline companies Williams, Enbridge, and Millennium Pipeline; and the American Petroleum Institute. Other backers include corporate lobbying groups like the Business Council of New York State, regional chambers of commerce like the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, and fossil fuel industry trade groups like Independent Power Producers of New York and Energy Coalition New York." In 2023, the utility National Grid used ratepayer money to finance a campaign against the NY HEAT Act.

Nationwide, the fossil fuel industry is still heavily involved in misinformation efforts against necessary legislation like this. The New York Times reported about the Propane Education Research Council sponsoring HGTV star Matt Blashaw. Blashaw calls propane - which contributes to climate change and is the most expensive heating fuel- "an energy source for everyone."

About Renewable Heat Now (RHN)

RHN is a network of organizations working to accelerate the adoption of ground-source (geothermal) and air-source heat pumps in New York to reduce the amount of fossil fuels used to heat and cool our homes and workplaces. We are committed to environmental justice and a just transition to all-electric homes and buildings.