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

QUEENS, NY (12/03/2025) (readMedia)-- Today, Queens lawmakers and advocates rallied outside the Con Edison plant in Queens to urge Governor Hochul to sign legislation repealing the "100-foot rule." Last week, Con Edison reiterated its support for ending the outdated subsidy, which allows utilities to charge ratepayers nearly $600 million extra on their energy bills every year to expand the costly gas system on New Yorkers' dime.

As more families struggle to afford their energy bills, Albany lawmakers voted in June to end the outdated 100-foot rule subsidy. Thankfully, Governor Hochul is reportedly considering signing the bill, and now she can save New Yorkers money and rein in utilities by signing it into law.

Watch a recording of the event here.

View images from the event here.

"New Yorkers - especially the working families and immigrant communities I represent - are being squeezed by an outrageous cost-of-living crisis. With energy bills climbing higher and higher, our neighbors need relief as soon as possible. Repealing the 100-foot rule is a commonsense fix that can deliver immediate support and protect families by repealing the requirement for ratepayers to subsidize fossil fuel infrastructure expansion. I urge Governor Hochul to finish the job and sign this bill before the year ends so we can bring meaningful, much-needed relief to communities across our state," said Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas.

Lawmakers and advocates at the event rallied alongside a traveling wheelbarrow full of 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. This week, lawmakers and advocates kicked off a traveling campaign that will bring the wheelbarrow across the city to hand out candy to New Yorkers and let them know how ending the 100-foot rule would save them money on their energy bills.

The group rallied outside Con Edison, which has endorsed ending the 100-foot rule. In a statement to News12 Brooklyn last week, the utility company confirmed its support for ending this mandate, stating, "Con Edison recognizes the need to advance the clean energy future, and we support the legislative repeal of the 100-foot rule entitlement." Read more here.

"Today I stand with working class families, advocates and my fellow elected colleagues to call on Gov. Hochul to support our communities by signing A.8888/S.8417. Many New Yorkers have long shouldered the burden of overpriced utility bills just to have habitable living conditions. For too long the so called '100-foot-rule' meant that when a neighbor or small business tried to connect to natural gas, the cost invisibly passed on to everyone else, forcing everyday New Yorker, including Black and Brown communities who already are hit hardest by economic inequality to subsidize corporate gas expansions. This is not only about economic justice, but New York's mandate to implement policies toward climate accountability. We ask that this unjust practice ends now, and urge the Governor to sign this bill," said Assemblymember Khaleel M. Anderson.

"I was proud to cosponsor the repeal of the 100-foot rule and am grateful to Assemblymember Gonzalez-Rojas for her leadership - now we need Governor Hochul to sign this bill into law. The current rule is an outdated giveaway that has New Yorkers footing unnecessary costs for utility infrastructure - this repeal will drive us towards a cleaner and more equitable system that will better sustain us in the long run," said Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi.

"New Yorkers are being squeezed by rising costs, and working families deserve real relief wherever we can deliver it. Repealing the 100-foot rule is the most basic step lawmakers can take to discourage new, outdated fossil-fuel infrastructure while lowering energy bills and accelerating our fight against climate change. The Legislature has done its part. Now the governor must sign the bill," said Assemblymember Claire Valdez.

"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, Senior Organizer with 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."

"The Trump administration's proposed cuts to energy assistance programs will disproportionately impact low- and moderate-income families -the same families already struggling with housing costs and essential needs. This is precisely the wrong time for New York to reduce its support for programs that deliver real relief to working families while creating good-paying jobs and reducing emissions. The Legislature acted decisively in June to repeal the antiquated "100-foot rule" that forces gas customers to subsidize new gas line extensions. This bill now awaits the Governor's signature. The Governor needs to begin addressing energy affordability by signing this legislation today!" said Danilo Martinez, NYPIRG Student, Queensborough Community College.

"Opponents of the bill use financial justifications to make their case, while completely ignoring the costs that we will pay in our health, our quality of life, and our futures. As a representative of Climate Families NYC, I speak for our city's families and kids, and these costs (both financial and health) are too expensive to be ignored by our 'Mom Governor'. Gov. Hochul must live up to her promises of climate leadership, and sign the Repeal of the 100-ft Rule in order to stop socializing the costs of dangerous fossil fuel investment, while allowing oil and gas companies to privatize the profits. She needs to focus on affordable solutions that simultaneously reduce long term costs and protect people. That's what we expect of our leaders," said Rachana Shah, Climate Families NYC.

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.