Statement from Natural Resources Defense Council, New York League of Conservation Voters, The Nature Conservancy, and Environmental Defense Fund

The following statement from Natural Resources Defense Council, New York League of Conservation Voters, The Nature Conservancy, and Environmental Defense Fund was released in response to the proposed CLCPA changes presented to the State Legislature: 

“New York has long been a national leader on climate. What we do here sets the standard for the rest of the country. Maintaining a strong, nation-leading climate law is how we protect that leadership and the New Yorkers counting on it. 

"New Yorkers are already reeling from utility bills and prices at the pump that keep climbing, pushed higher by spiking fossil fuel costs and volatile global markets. The climate law is one of the few tools we have to break that cycle by investing in clean energy, efficiency, and a modern grid that lowers costs over time and insulates families from the next price shock. 

"Reported proposals amount to a sweeping rollback, one that would delay the clean energy transition at the very moment New Yorkers need it most, leaving households more exposed to the fossil fuel volatility driving their bills up today. 

"There is a path forward to reasonable changes to the CLCPA that maintain New York’s leadership and commitment to scaling clean, affordable energy.  That starts with ensuring New York has a credible, near-term plan to implement the law, including cap-and-invest regulations in the next year. With regulations already two years overdue, waiting until 2029 or 2030 – a decade after the CLCPA’s passage – is simply too late.

"New York must also maintain enforceable emissions reduction requirements rather than replace them with voluntary goals. Ten states have binding climate targets to reduce pollution. If these proposals move forward, New York would be the first to roll any target back in law.

"A well-designed cap-and-invest program is essential to cutting emissions while driving investment in utility bill rebates and clean energy to lower costs for New Yorkers.

"On Earth Day, we are reminded that protecting the environment and building a more affordable future go hand in hand. Investing in clean energy, efficiency, and modern infrastructure is how we lower energy bills and deliver clean air for every family in New York.”