Upstate NYers Urge Gov. to Sign 100-foot Rule Repeal As Massachusetts Axes Gas Utility Charge Just Miles Away

COLUMBIA COUNTY (08/28/2025) (readMedia)-- Last week, Massachusetts state regulators issued an order to end the policy that forces residents to pay for new gas line hookups, effectively ending a major subsidy for gas utilities in the state. The move comes as Governor Hochul considers signing legislation that would end the outdated 100-foot rule, a similar subsidy here in New York that allows utilities to charge everyday people more on their energy bills to build new fracked gas pipelines at their expense.

In response, Michael Richardson, Co-facilitator of Third Act Upstate New York, issued the following statement urging Governor Hochul to sign legislation on her desk to repeal the 100-foot rule and relieve New Yorkers from this extra charge on their bills:

"If someone wants a new gas line to an existing home or business it should be on their dime, not forced onto families to pay for it through higher utility bills. It makes absolutely no sense that everyday New Yorkers should have to pay more each month for years so as to keep us locked into costly, polluting fossil fuels and bolster NYSEG and Central Hudson profits by expanding the gas system. Just look to our neighbors across the state line who no longer have to pay for others to hookup to gas mains. The NYS Senate and Assembly did their job to pass legislation to end this egregious surcharge and stand up to the utility companies - and now we need Governor Hochul to follow Massachusetts and sign our New York bill into law, now!"

Background

1 in 4 New York households already cannot afford their energy bills, and according to an estimate from the Alliance for a Green Economy, 1.2 million families are two or months behind on their energy bills. At the same time, the Trump administration is cutting funding for federal energy assistance programs that thousands of New Yorkers rely on to get by.

Repealing the outdated "100-foot rule" would end the outdated requirement that forces working class families to pay more on their energy bills to expand fracked gas pipelines and inflate corporate utility profits. By signing this legislation, Governor Hochul can end that mandate, saving New Yorkers an estimated $200 million every year and enabling the state to transition to a cleaner, more affordable energy future. Earlier this month, Massachusetts became the third state to end gas line hookups at ratepayers' expense.

Repealing the 100-foot rule will also help reduce fossil fuel emissions from New York's dirty, dangerous gas system, which is driving climate change and making heat waves worse. As extreme heat becomes more common and more deadly, New Yorkers need energy policies that reduce pollution and lower their energy bills.