Senator Tom O’Mara warned about the potential consequences of New York’s current energy policies, emphasizing that the state’s push towards zero-emissions is unaffordable, unfeasible, and unreliable. He highlighted the rapid implementation of mandates under the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), cautioning that these actions will have severe economic repercussions.
O’Mara cited the upcoming mandate requiring all school buses purchased after 2027 to be electric as an example of an expensive unfunded state mandate. He introduced legislation to delay this mandate and conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis to ensure affordability and reliability. Other mandates include no natural gas in new buildings by 2025, no new gas service to existing buildings by 2030, and no gasoline-automobile sales by 2035.
O’Mara acknowledged the importance of cleaner energy but argued that the state’s targets are unrealistic and will impose significant hardships on residents and businesses. He called for a reassessment of these policies to avoid a $1 trillion cost to New Yorkers by 2050.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].