Following the Senate’s passage of President Donald Trump’s sweeping “Big Beautiful Bill,” climate advocates in New York are calling on the state to ramp up public renewable energy construction before federal incentives run out.
The Public Power NY Coalition released a statement Tuesday demanding that the New York Power Authority (NYPA) expedite its renewable energy projects to meet both state climate laws and the tight timeline set by federal funding deadlines.
“With the federal government codifying climate denial, New York must lead,” the coalition said. “Currently only one third of NYPA’s planned renewable energy projects are scheduled to come online before 2027 and take advantage of this funding. Federal law cannot change the laws of physics, so NYPA must speed up its timeline and build as many public renewable projects as possible now.”
The Trump-backed megabill, which initially proposed taxing solar and wind power, no longer includes those penalties. However, it limits future renewable energy incentives to projects online before the end of 2027. Advocates say that gives New York a narrow window to act.
The Build Public Renewables Act, passed in 2023, gives NYPA the authority to develop state-owned renewable energy. Public Power NY, which drafted the legislation, has called on NYPA to deliver at least 15 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030 to meet the targets of the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
NYPA’s original plan proposed just 3GW, with minimal investment in areas with the highest energy demand such as the Hudson Valley and downstate New York. After widespread public backlash, the agency committed to adding another 3GW.
Public Power NY said New York now has both the authority and the urgency to lead where federal policy has failed.
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