Queens Lawmakers, Advocates Announce New Research Showing Queens Families Could Save $158 On Bills w/NY HEAT!

Assembly Members Jessica González-Rojas, Steven Raga will rally with students, residents, and advocates to demand Albany leadership put NY HEAT Act in budget to lower energy bills, curb rate hikes, and fight climate change impacting Queens families' everyday lives; Group to announce new research and highlight new calculator tool from Spring Street Climate Fund, which any Queens resident can use to calculate energy cost savings with NY HEAT Act

QUEENS, NY (02/21/2024) (readMedia)-- Today, Assembly Members Jessica González-Rojas and Steven Raga will join with students, residents, and advocates to hold a press conference to release new data from WIN Climate that shows how much Queens families could save on energy with the NY HEAT Act (A4592-B / S2016-B). As Con Edison and National Grid pursue gas rate hikes that will cost some customers nearly $50 more each month, NY lawmakers have an opportunity to protect families by passing the HEAT Act in the budget and putting a limit on household utility bills to 6% of a family's income.

The NY HEAT Act would save families money and reduce future rate hikes like the ones underway by Con Edison and National Grid. It will also kickstart New York's transition from the outdated, expensive fracked gas system accelerating the effects of climate change. Governor Hochul embraced key parts of the HEAT Act in her Executive Budget proposal. Now, lawmakers have an opportunity to deliver relief for families by including the full bill in their one-house budgets.

The event will be held outside of Woodside Houses, where residents are participating in a pilot program that provides them with heat pumps. Heat pumps provide efficient, electric, and affordable heat without the need for dirty fracked gas.

This event will be livestreamed.

When: Wednesday, February 21, 11:00am

Where: Woodside Houses, Broadway and 51st St, Queens, 11377

Who: Assembly Members Jessica González-Rojas and Steven Raga; Modhupa Tsali, student advocate with Fridays for Future NYC; Rev. Jeffrey Courter, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Forest Hills NY; Alliance for a Green Economy; WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Food & Water Watch, Queens Climate Project, Forest Hills Green Team

What: Assembly Members Jessica González-Rojas and Steven Raga will hold a press conference with Queens community members and advocates to highlight how much residents could save on their monthly utility bills if Albany passes the NY HEAT ACT in this year's budget