Hochul Seeks to Rework New York’s Climate Law Over Cost Concerns

Overview

• Gov. Kathy Hochul is pressing to revise parts of the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act through ongoing budget negotiations before the April 1 deadline.
• Hochul cited “unforeseen factors” and warned of “enormous costs,” pointing to a recent NYSERDA modeling memo that forecasts substantial household and fuel-price impacts under certain designs.
• Environmental groups and some Democrats dispute the cost assumptions and oppose rollbacks, arguing alternative policy designs and electrification benefits are being discounted.
• The move marks a sharp turn for Hochul, who previously highlighted climate leadership and rejected permits for new gas power plants.
• No statutory changes have been enacted yet, and any revisions would represent a significant shift in New York’s approach to its aggressive emissions targets.