Advocates Call State Climate Memo a “Scare Tactic,” Urge Upholding NY’s Climate Law

A recent state memo suggesting that fully implementing New York’s 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act could raise household energy costs is “overstated,” according to Lisa Marshall of New Yorkers for Clean Power.

The leaked memo from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office on the estimated financial impacts of the state’s greenhouse gas reduction law shows average households could face thousands of dollars of extra costs a year.

First reported by City and State, the memo from NYSERDA President Doreen Harris to Director of State Operations Jackie Bray dated Thursday says by 2031 — absent any changes – the impact of the Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act could cost upstate oil and natural gas households in excess of $4,000 per year.

“So we see this memo as a somewhat disingenuous attempt to renegotiate the whole climate law by using a scare tactic,” Marshall said. “Let me just be clear. This cap and vest program doesn’t exist yet. The government has dragged its feet on it. It was her idea and she and her agencies can design the program any way they want. So if they think that designing it a certain way is going to cost people $4,000 per household, then they shouldn’t design it that way. That’s up to them.”

Marshall spoke in response to Gov. Hochul citing affordability concerns as she considers potential changes to the state’s climate law. “We really do think they’re being overstated,” she said.

“Everybody is talking about energy affordability because we have a real energy affordability crisis here in New York that we really need to face. And this cold winter, which I might add is because of climate change, we’re having these weirdly cold winters, is very scary. People’s bills are astronomically high just trying to keep warm and keep the lights on, and that’s scary for everyone. The legislators are hearing from their constituents, etc., and it is a really deep concern.”

Marshall argued that policymakers are seeking easy scapegoats instead of long-term solutions. “What the politicians want to do is find some kind of easy fall guy, point a finger, say it’s not their fault. They don’t want to do the hard work of really looking at the solutions that will actually help people like investing in upgrading the energy efficiency of people’s homes, investing in clean energy solutions that we already know save money for people for the future, and really doing the kind of long-term planning of our energy system that we need in order to reduce future costs for customers.”

On the state’s dependence on fossil fuels, Marshall said, “We have this aging electric system. A lot of our power plants still rely on gas. If gas prices go up, then the cost of electricity goes up. But even more a problem is this gas distribution system that we’re paying through the nose every year more and more to keep. With the amount that people pay on their gas bills, very little of that is actually for the gas. Most of it is to support the system of pipes and infrastructure that brings the gas to you.”

Marshall said advocates are pushing for programs to help households now while transitioning to cleaner energy. “Renewable Heat Now is not only dedicated to defending the climate law and moving a planned transition forward for the energy system, but we’re also super dedicated to helping people right now and making sure programs like the Empower Plus program and the Weatherization Assistance Program are properly funded so that especially the lowest-income households are getting the help they need month-to-month to lower energy bills and be safer and more secure in their homes,” she said.

Marshall also addressed federal challenges, including actions by the Trump administration that affected offshore wind development. “There’s no denying that the Trump administration has not been friendly towards New York’s climate policy, but really the governor has incredible leeway to implement and move forward most of the goals of the CLCPA on her own,” she said.

Looking ahead, Marshall urged the legislature to resist renegotiating the climate law as part of the state budget. “Number one, they should absolutely positively 100% not agree to renegotiate the climate law as part of the budget process. And if the governor wants to renegotiate the climate law, the legislature should say you can do that with us after the budget is over and not during this budget,” she said.

Marshall said clean energy programs can be part of an affordability solution. “We stand by and have plenty of evidence that a clean energy program is an affordability program. We do not see a conflict there. I think that is really the scare tactic that the opposition is trying to use and take advantage of how vulnerable people feel when they open that bill. It is scary, but the culprit for rising energy bills is absolutely not clean energy and we have lots and lots of evidence to show that.”

Image: In this May 21, 2008, file photo, Marco DelTreste, left, and Arsenio Patricio, of Mercury Solar Systems, install panels on the roof of a home in Newburgh, N.Y. A leaked memo from the Hochul administration makes the case for revising the state’s landmark 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, warning of possible financial impacts on New York households.(AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, File)