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Renewable Heat Now Denounces State Assembly Failure to Pass NY HEAT Act – We Will Remember and We Won’t Back Down [1]
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Date: 2024-06-08 01:56:59+00:00
For Immediate Release
Contact: Charlie Heller, [email protected] (315) 313-5050
Albany, NY - June 7, 2024. Renewable Heat Now decries the astonishing failure of the State Assembly to broker a deal to pass the New York Home Energy Affordable Transition (NY HEAT) Act this week, despite months of negotiation. The appalling inaction – in the midst of an ill-advised, end-of-session attempt by the Governor to roll back New York City’s landmark congestion pricing policy – is a betrayal of the people of New York, leaving them at the mercy of skyrocketing energy costs and unchecked greenhouse gas emissions for the foreseeable future for the foreseeable future.
"The NY HEAT Act would have been a lifeline for New Yorkers struggling with high energy costs and facing the devastating impacts of the climate emergency. Our leaders in Albany – the State Assembly first and foremost – have once again shown where they stand by refusing to implement the state’s landmark climate law and enable a strategic and cost-effective transition away from fossil fuels in buildings. Their blockage of this bill for three years in a row is a shameful abdication of their duty to serve the people they represent. We will not forget this failure as we struggle with utility shutoffs, high temperatures, and bad air this summer,” said Jessica Azulay, Executive Director of Alliance for a Green Economy (AGREE).
The NY HEAT Act (A.4592B/S.2016B) would end outdated laws mandating public investment in expensive gas infrastructure, freeing up resources to enable New Yorkers to transition to cleaner, safer, and more affordable modern heating systems. The legislation would enable utility regulations to finally align with the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) goals as laid out in the gas transition section of the state’s Climate Action Scoping Plan. This means significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality, and enhancing energy affordability for all New Yorkers. Crucially, the bill would also bring relief to the 1.4 million households who cannot afford their energy bills by setting a standard that households should not pay more than 6% of their income for utility bills and requiring a plan to achieve that goal through energy efficiency, renewable energy credits, and providing more robust bill discounts to struggling households.
The Renewable Heat Now campaign extends heartfelt gratitude and encouragement to the advocates and allies from every corner of the state who championed NY HEAT and worked tirelessly to pass this legislation day after day, month after month. Your commitment is what brought NY HEAT so close to passage this year. We are not done. We are emboldened by how far we have come together, and we will not let this temporary setback deter us in our fight for the cleaner heat and lower bills we need.
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[1] Url:
https://renewableheatnow.org/renewable-heat-now-denounces-state-assembly-failure-to-pass-ny-heat-act-we-will-remember-and-we-wont-back-down/
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