NEW YORK – In response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s reported efforts to roll back New York’s landmark Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that New Yorkers are paying too much for energy. But weakening New York’s nation-leading Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act—as Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed in budget negotiations—is shortsighted and harmful to the very communities it was designed to protect. The CLCPA made New York a champion for climate and equity. Now, when we are facing such grave threats to these efforts from the federal government, we need our state to show leadership and resolve, not weaken our own laws.
Delaying the CLCPA will only lock us into volatile fossil fuels, driving higher costs over time while kicking the can down the road on the clean energy transition we need to lower bills, create jobs, and improve public health. We have no time to waste on backroom deals that cater to fossil fuel interests.
We’re already seeing what works. CLCPA-driven investments are delivering results: distributed solar on track to meet state targets, and New Yorkers are saving money right now through rooftop and community solar. We know that solar and storage remain the fastest, most cost-effective tools to stabilize energy costs. These projects are also creating good-paying, local jobs across the state. Instead of slowing down, state leaders should learn from this success and double down on the strategies that work across all sectors—expand access, improve program efficiency, and ensure the benefits of clean energy reach working people faster.
If the Governor is serious about affordability, she should focus on accelerating solar deployment, expanding access to energy efficiency and electrification, and unlocking policies that bring down costs for everyday New Yorkers—not undermining the very framework designed to do exactly that. The Legislature must reject any attempt to roll back the Climate Act and instead focus on the clean energy solutions that deliver lasting savings, healthier communities, and a more resilient grid.
About Solar One
Solar One is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to design and deliver innovative education, training, and technical assistance that fosters sustainability and resiliency in diverse urban environments. Solar One facilitates learning that changes the way people think about energy, sustainability, and resilience by engaging diverse program participants across NYC boroughs. Programs help individuals and communities explore new ways of living and working that are more adaptive to a climate-change impacted world. Learn more at solar1.org.
Solar One Media Contact
Daphne Aquije, daphne@solar1.org
