NYPGA Continues to Sound Alarm About Climate Act
New York State Senator Tom O ’ Mara , speaking at the NYPGA Spring Conference in Albany . Fuel Oil News photo by Stephen Bennett .
Among many recommendations , the CAC ’ s plan currently calls for :
No natural gas within newly constructed buildings , beginning in 2025 ; No new gas service to existing buildings , beginning in 2030 ; No replacement natural gas appliances for home heating , cooking , water heating , clothes drying beginning in 2035 ; and No gasoline-automobile sales by 2035 . In an opinion article published by the USA Today Network , cochairs of New York ’ s CAC , Basil Seggos , Commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation , and Doreen Harris , President and CEO of the NYS Energy Research and Development Authority , signaled the change in the administration ’ s thinking .
“ When the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act was passed in 2019 , it included a way of counting New York ’ s emissions that differs from the scientific standard used by nearly every other state and country in the world . In addition , no cost analysis was completed at that time , and as we all know , the economic landscape has changed dramatically since 2019 ,” Seggos and Harris wrote . “ The reality is that we are advancing this transformation to fight climate change at a time in which many New Yorkers are struggling financially and economically . Now , under Hochul ’ s direction , we are taking a close look at consumer cost impacts to ensure we will reach our climate goals while protecting New Yorkers . As it stands today , the climate act ’ s emissions accounting method is certain to be a major driver of future costs for New York families .”
In a Capital Tonight interview with Susan Arbetter this week , Seggos also stated that the plan , as currently constructed , will impose extraordinary costs on New Yorkers including causing home heating costs to increase by 80 % and gasoline prices to rise by 62 cents per gallon . Recognizing this , the chairs of the Senate and Assembly Energy Committees introduced legislation ( S . 6030 / A . 6039 ) that , if enacted , would make the change to the
more internationally accepted accounting metric .
O ’ Mara said , “ Governor Hochul ’ s ambition to impose far-reaching clean energy mandates on all New Yorkers kept moving forward right along with her administration ’ s unwillingness to explain how much it will cost or how the state intends to pay for it . Consumers had no idea what ’ s coming . Despite the repeated claims of the governor and her administration , the plan was never accompanied by any cost-benefit analysis of the impact of these actions on energy affordability , reliability , or sustainability .
“ I have joined legislative colleagues and many others over the past several years to sound the alarm , particularly over how these irrational and unsustainable mandates will come at great costs and consequences . Far too many New Yorkers have remained in the dark about these potential costs and consequences , largely because Governor Hochul and her clean energy czars either didn ’ t truly know or really didn ’ t want to shine any light on it . Now they ’ re suddenly looking to change course ?
“ Many of us in the Senate and Assembly Republican conferences have steadfastly highlighted the plan ’ s extreme efforts to eliminate reliable , affordable sources of energy that are vital for the citizens and communities we represent . We have also fully encouraged New York ’ s past efforts to increase cleaner and renewable power , efforts that have been astoundingly successful . New York State is already a national and worldwide leader accounting for just 0.4 % of global carbon emissions .
“ New York State consumes less total energy per capita than all but two other states . New York State ’ s per capita energy consumption for the transportation sector is the lowest in the nation . In 2020 , New York State ’ s per capita energy-related carbon dioxide emissions were lower than those of any other state . However , New York State ’ s CO ² emissions have since increased about 24 % due to the closing of the Indian Point nuclear electricity generating plant — another glaring example of the lack of foresight and rationality in New York ’ s energy plan .
“ Nevertheless , New York ’ s ongoing leap into the energy unknown will have no impact on the actions of neighboring states or , even more critically , on China , India , or Russia , which account for 40 % of global emissions . In other words , even if New York State does reach zero emissions , there will be zero impact on our own climate or the global climate at large , yet all New Yorkers will pay a heavy , heavy price .
“ While I believe New York State should continue to be a leader on reducing emissions , it remains important to keep sounding the alarm that the state ’ s strategy as it stands is not realistic or achievable , and unreasonably risks energy grid reliability and affordability . We ’ re glad to finally have Governor Hochul and some legislative Democrats recognizing the reality of what ’ s ahead for all New Yorkers if we stay on this course .
“ It remains important for more citizens , communities , businesses , families , and workers to fully understand where New York ’ s energy future is headed and to demand a desperately needed rethinking and slowing down of this process .” l FON
38 MAY 2023 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www . fueloilnews . com