As energy costs continue to rise across New York, Senate Republicans are renewing their push for legislation to curb rate hikes and reassess the state’s ambitious climate mandates. Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats) joined his colleagues Monday in calling for a strategy that balances environmental goals with affordability and grid reliability.
The lawmakers argue that the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) has led to skyrocketing utility costs, particularly as energy providers struggle to meet strict emissions targets under an accelerated timeline. Critics, including State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, have pointed out the Hochul administration’s failure to meet its own climate benchmarks.
“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,” O’Mara said. He called for a “thorough reassessment” of the law’s impact on ratepayers, businesses, farmers, and local economies.
Senator Mario R. Mattera, ranking Republican on the Senate Energy Committee, proposed establishing a “Cost Council” to approve CLCPA-related regulations before they take effect. “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,” Mattera said.
Republicans have introduced several bills aimed at delaying mandates and easing costs, including:
- S.1927 (O’Mara) – Reopening the Indian Point Energy Center to restore clean, reliable nuclear power.
- S.1031 (Rolison) – Requiring the Public Service Commission to calculate the cost of CLCPA mandates for each ratepayer and providing credits to offset them.
- S.1167 (Mattera) – Repealing the All-Electric Buildings Act, which bans gas and propane systems in new buildings.
- S.2712 (Stec) – Conducting a cost analysis of CLCPA mandates and delaying them by a decade.
- S.3652 (Ortt) – Blocking electric vehicle mandates and preserving consumer choice.
- S.5436 (Griffo) – Prohibiting power plant closures before equivalent renewable capacity is available.
Republicans also outlined a broader “Creating Lasting Affordable Energy for New York” plan to delay CLCPA implementation by ten years, provide ratepayer relief, restore local control over renewable energy siting, and expand incentives for solar and hydroelectric power.
With energy costs and grid stability emerging as key concerns statewide, Senate Republicans say their proposals offer a more balanced path forward. Whether Democrats will consider delaying CLCPA mandates remains uncertain.
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