Governor Kathy Hochul Seeks Delay on Environmental Policies
ALBANY – Governor Kathy Hochul is calling for a postponement of her own Democratic climate legislation as New Yorkers face increasing utility costs. With re-election approaching in November, she has formally requested to delay the rollout of environmental policies that could lead to rising gas prices by 2030.
In a recent editorial, Hochul stated her position on the matter, advocating for a pushback of the deadline for these environmental programs. She noted, “Simply put, something has to give.”
Highlighting the law’s requirement for New York City to cut emissions by 40% by 2030, she remarked that meeting these goals would impose extra fracking costs on both businesses and residents.
The Hochul administration shared a memo last month suggesting that following the existing plan would result in households facing an additional $4,000 in gas and utility bills by 2030.
Hochul’s new strategy aims to extend the deadline to 2040. While the emissions targets for 2050 would stay the same, the methodology for calculating New York State’s emissions would be revised, aligning it more closely with other states and easing the current stringent standards.
Interestingly, Hochul insists that the current hike in energy bills has no relation to fulfilling climate change law requirements.
The proposal was initially reported by a media outlet earlier this week. Hochul has been considering introducing discussions around climate legislation during private budget negotiations with the state Legislature, a strategy that has angered some left-wing lawmakers who recently expressed their discontent over her earlier hints at this proposal.
Environmental groups have reacted strongly against Hochul’s move. Julie Tye, president of the New York State League of Conservation Voters, criticized the governor’s approach, stating that waiting for more robust action is unacceptable.
On the political front, Republicans have capitalized on the situation, echoing concerns they’ve raised in the past. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who seems poised to be Hochul’s GOP opponent in the upcoming election, stated that delaying the pain only prolongs the issue and promised to significantly cut utility bills instead.
