Senator Mattera and Colleagues In Senate Republican Conference Introduce Package To Protect Ratepayers From Democrats' Energy Policies

Senator Mario R. Mattera (2nd Senate District), the Ranking Republican on the New York State Senate Energy Committee, and his colleagues in the Senate Republican Conference introduced a package of legislation aimed at increasing energy production around the State, pausing the ridiculous green energy mandates championed by Albany Democrats, and providing ratepayers with increased transparency surrounding the true costs of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).

The proposals come in response to proposed rate increases across New York State by Con Edison, to the tune of $154 more per month for the average gas and energy bill, National Grid, which proposed rate increases of 15% for electricity and 20% for natural gas and the New York Power Authority (NYPA), which backed off a proposal of a 156.6% increase over 4 years on hydroelectric. 

Recently, Governor Hochul attempted to place blame for the rate hikes on executive pay at the utility companies. The Senate Republican Conference understands an audit of executive pay will do nothing to lower utility costs for New Yorkers. The Senate Republican Conference will remain focused on what is really driving up utility costs which is the reckless transition of the energy grid under the impossible timeline of the CLCPA championed by Albany Democrats. The CLCPA has left companies scrambling to meet unrealistic emissions goals amid rapidly approaching deadlines. State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli recently called for improved planning in order to achieve these goals due to a conservative cost estimate of $340 billion that will fall on the backs of New York ratepayers.

One component of the Senate Republican Conference’s effort to protect New Yorker is Senator Mattera’s legislation (S.5611) that will require New York State to form a Climate Action Cost council. The Climate Action Cost council will have nine unpaid members appointed by leaders from both parties and they must have expertise in the energy, environmental conservation, labor, public health and regulated industries. The members would meet quarterly to fully and realistically study and publicly release the true impact of the CLCPA on ratepayers, workers, and businesses. 

Additionally, this council would have oversight and input on all CLCPA related regulations/codes before they go into effect.

With the passage of the CLCPA and all the rules and regulations that came out of it, it is more important than ever to make sure that New Yorkers are protected from the costs associated with the Democrats’ energy fuel choice ban.

“The time has come for New York State to accept reality and formulate a workable plan that avoids forcing an ideological and ill-conceived ban on New Yorkers. The mandates of the CLCPA are already negatively impacting our ratepayers and businesses with rate increases that will eventually cost our hardworking men and women their jobs. The Climate Action Cost Council my legislation would create will protect New Yorkers from these costs by finally having a realistic approach to the financial implications of this policy. Our conference has been pushing common sense initiatives that will help us find a cleaner energy future without sacrificing or harming our residents and I urge the Democrats in our state to work with us for the betterment of all we jointly serve,” said Senator Mario R. Mattera, Ranking Republican on the Senate Energy Committee.

“Since the CLCPA's approval in 2019, we've watched Albany Democrats move at world record speed to pile one unaffordable mandate on top of another unworkable mandate on top of the next unrealistic mandate desperately trying to inflict a zero-emissions economy on this entire state that will have zero impact on the climate. These actions will come with a devastating price tag and consequences for ratepayers and taxpayers, businesses and industries, school districts, farmers, and entire local economies. It has become clear that the current strategy is not realistic or achievable. It is not responsible or rational. There was no cost-benefit analysis. It lacks critical foresight and it unreasonably risks energy grid reliability and affordability. The urgency remains for a thorough reassessment and reexamination, as well as a long-overdue and desperately needed public discussion, on the realities of the current strategy. Senate Republicans will continue to put forth an energy strategy that is focused on affordability, feasibility, and reliability,” said Senator Tom O’Mara.

“There’s an old saying: measure twice and cut once. With the CLCPA, Albany Democrats aren’t doing anything besides cutting into the finances of hardworking families. Their costly green agenda is only causing energy prices to skyrocket and the reliability of our energy grid to decline. My legislation to pause the CLCPA while a true cost-benefit analysis of this $300 billion boondoggle is conducted would protect ratepayers and ensure New York State has smart, sustainable energy policies,” said Senator Dan Stec.

“New Yorkers shouldn’t be left in the dark about why their utility bills keep climbing. Albany’s extreme energy policies are forcing families to pay more without a clear breakdown of the costs. That’s why our conference has introduced a legislative package aimed at bringing real relief by curbing skyrocketing energy costs. As part of this effort, my bill would require the Public Service Commission to calculate and disclose exactly how much of each monthly bill is tied to the CLCPA, ensuring ratepayers finally get the transparency they deserve,” said Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick.

“Many in New York are struggling with burdensome energy costs and other financial challenges that make it difficult for them to get ahead and live here.  The state’s ambitious energy goals and standards, which include unaffordable mandates and unrealistic and unreasonable deadlines, is not helping matters and is hurting ratepayers, families, seniors, business owners and communities. It is simple: New Yorkers need relief. This package of legislation will help to provide that to them by combating rising energy costs and making our state more affordable, which will help to stop the mass exodus from New York,” said Senator Joe Griffo.

Governor Hochul has indicated solving the affordability crisis is a top priority for her– yet her decisions continue to prove contradictory to this goal. New Yorkers are seeing prices soar across a variety of industries and with their dollars stretched razor thin, it’s clear the state must reverse course.

The Senate Republican Conference proposed a series of bills whose goals aim to correct the failures of the past– and start New York on a path to prominence and desirability once again:

S.1031 (Rolison) - Directs the Public Service Commission  and the Comptroller to determine the cost of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act mandates for each ratepayer and establishes a credit for ratepayers and businesses to cover those costs;

S.1167 (Mattera) - Repeals the All-Electric Buildings Act. The All-Electric Buildings Act prohibits gas, oil and propane equipment and building systems in new buildings beginning at the end of this year, a mandate that would drive up the costs of new construction;

S.1178 (Mattera) - Provides tax credits to build out gas infrastructure to rural areas where higher emitting fuel sources are typically used;

S1927 (O’Mara) - Establishes the commission on reopening the Indian Point energy center. The ill conceived closure of Indian Point resulted in a substantial amount of clean, reliable energy coming offline. With other states looking to reopen nuclear power plants, it makes sense for New York to do the same with Indian Point.  Adds nuclear energy to the list of energy sources the State considers renewable energy systems;

S.2712 (Stec) - Requires a cost analysis of the CLCPA and delays the emission mandates of the CLCPA for a decade;

S3652 (Ortt) - Prohibits electric vehicle mandates and provides consumers with the choice to select the vehicle of their choosing;

S.5436 (Griffo) - Prohibits the closure of power generation facilities (peaker plants) before equivalent renewable sources are brought online to ensure a reliable energy grid;

S.5515 (Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick) - Requires the Public Service Commission to develop a formula to determine the portion of each residential ratepayer's utility bill that is attributed to the implementation of the CLCPA and requires utility companies to place such cost on monthly utility bills to provide cost transparency to customers;

It's time this state reimagine its climate crusade. We love our state and its vast beauty, but we also love the people that make up this state and it’s our intention to keep them here.