Senator Weber Op-Ed: NY HEAT Act bad for New York

Activism is and always should be a part of politics because it leads to discussions of new public policy topics and can help to accelerate needed societal change. 

The problem with some activists, however, is that they can go too far in pushing out of touch, expensive solutions that end up hurting the very people they purport to be trying to help. Such is the case with the so called “New York Home Energy Affordable Transition Act (HEAT ACT)  as proposed in the legislature and the ironically named “affordable gas transition act” included in Governor Hochul’s budget. 

Rather than look for ways to enhance and protect the kind of jobs that help build New York’s middle class, this legislation puts those families right in the cross hairs by threatening their long-term employment and raising their utility bills. The bill directs the State’s Public Service commission to encourage a transition away from natural gas, discontinue portions of the natural gas system and thereby force consumers to convert their houses and businesses to electricity. 

The last thing we need is a heavy-handed Legislature and Governor egged on by out of touch activists to impose some kind of one-size fits all system that won’t work, can’t be easily adjusted and hurts cash strapped ratepayers. 

Homes and businesses who are forced to switch to electric, will face $20-$50,000 in new costs mandated by the State of New York. There is absolutely no mechanism in this bill for working families to recover even one penny of that cost. 

The bills also claims to help struggling New Yorkers by capping energy costs at 6% of income for anyone at or below 80% of the area median income. The problem? The rest of us who aren’t covered by the cap will simply see higher bills to make up the difference-and that’s most of us!

To add insult to injury, this legislation would get rid of the “100-foot rule” which requires utility companies to connect customers to a gas line for free when they are within 100 feet of an existing main. Activists call this a “huge cost to customers and a huge subsidy to the gas industry” but is that really accurate? Small businesses, which are the heart of New York’s economy, benefit from this rule, and saving the cost to hook up to gas helps them create more jobs and help our economy. In addition, thousands of workers who currently service our gas system will be put on the unemployment line! This is truly outrageous. 

Reducing emissions is something everyone broadly agrees on, but there Is no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater while hurting workers, consumers and businesses alike. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in rejecting the inclusion of these ideas in the final State Budget.