NYS Senate Republicans Request Governor Drop Gas Ban In State Budget Proposal

ALBANY, NY - NYS Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, Deputy Minority Leader Senator Andrew Lanza, Senator Mario Mattera, Ranking Member of the Energy and Telecommunications Committee, Senators Thomas O’Mara and Mark Walczyk, Members of the Energy and Telecommunications Committee and other members of the Senate Republican Conference sent a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul today requesting that she drop a proposal to ban fossil fuel equipment in residential and commercial buildings and instead implement affordable solutions in pursuing a cleaner energy future.

Citing a recent ruling from the United States Court of Appeals, the Senators stated that a locality or state cannot ban natural gas hookups, as it is preempted by federal law. Rather than imposing a prohibition on natural gas and biofuels, proven to be both affordable and reliable for state residents, the senators propose smarter energy solutions, putting affordability and reliability first for New York ratepayers.

“Instead of trying to push an unconstitutional one size fits all fossil fuel ban in our state’s budget, we request that you instead advocate for affordable solutions in pursuing a cleaner energy future, such as independent cost studies and full transparency; support diverse energy sources; keep needed power supply online to ensure reliability of our grid; and oppose unaffordable mandates on consumers,” the Senators wrote.

It was reported earlier this month that Governor Hochul’s administration was considering a change in the proposed climate plan due to cost concerns. Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner Basil Seggos and NYSERDA president and CEO Doreen Harris touted the benefits of the changes in order to contain costs, but the administration quickly caved to the progressive left and flip-flopped, dropping the proposed cost-containment measures from negotiations. 

Earlier this year, Senate Republicans unveiled a plan for ‘Smart Energy Policies’ in New York. Albany’s radical climate agenda would completely prohibit the installation of natural gas, propane and fuel oil hookups in new and existing buildings no later than 2035. These devastating bans on reliable, affordable energy sources includes deadlines of:

• December 31, 2025 for new one family residential buildings of any height or multi-family residential buildings of three stories or fewer;
• December 31, 2028 for new multi-family residential buildings more than three stories or new commercial buildings;
• January 1, 2030 for existing one family residential buildings of any height or multi-family buildings of three stories or fewer; and
• January 1, 2035 for existing multi-family residential buildings more than three stories or commercial buildings.

The New York Senate Republican Conference proposed several affordable solutions in pursuing a cleaner energy future, such as:

• Independent cost studies and full transparency;
• Supporting diverse energy sources;
• Keep needed power supply online to ensure reliability of our grid; and
• Repealing and opposing and anti market mandates on consumers.