ALBANY – Governor Kathy Hochul is seeking a reprieve from the stringent climate legislation championed by her own party, as she formally requests a postponement of impactful green policies. These measures, poised to take effect soon, are causing voter concerns due to escalating utility costs.
Facing a re-election challenge in November, Hochul penned an op-ed on Friday, officially stating her intention to push back the start date of an environmental initiative that could potentially lead to a significant surge in gas prices by 2030.
“In simple terms, adjustments are necessary,” Hochul expressed in her commentary published on the Empire Report.
She emphasized that achieving the Climate Act’s 2030 goals would lead to “new and additional burdensome costs” for New York’s businesses and residents. The law mandates a 40% reduction in emissions by 2030.
Late last month, Hochul’s administration unveiled a memo indicating that the current strategy to meet the 2030 target could burden New York households with an extra $4,000 each in expenses related to gasoline and utilities by that year.
Hochul’s revised plan suggests extending the deadline to 2040, while maintaining the additional emissions targets set for 2050.
It would also rejigger the methodology used to calculate New York’s emissions, bringing it in line with other states and significantly relaxing the current, more stringent, method.
Hochul puzzlingly swears that current utility cost increases have nothing to do with implementation of the climate law mandates.
Hochul’s proposal was first reported by Politico on Friday morning.
The governor had been planning on possibly inserting a debate over the climate law into closed door state budget negotiations with the legislature for months – leading to fury from lefty lawmakers, including a letter from 29 Democrats furious at the governor for even teasing the proposal earlier this month.
The state budget is due before April 1, though Hochul has regularly presided over weeks-late fiscal plans in recent years.
Environmentalists have been once again left fuming at Hochul.
“The Governor’s reported … changes are unacceptable. We can’t afford to wait for stronger action. The Legislature must keep fighting to protect the climate law,” wrote Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters, on X.
Republicans are using the opportunity to say “I told you so”– having spent years railing against the climate law.
“Delaying the pain doesn’t make it disappear—it just makes New Yorkers pay later. I won’t delay it—I’ll kill it for good and cut your utility bill in half,” said Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Hochul’s likely GOP contender this November, in a statement.
