The state’s decision to delay enforcement of the All-Electric Buildings Act is being hailed as a victory by Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, who says the pause shows growing momentum for more practical energy policies in New York.
The law, originally set to take effect January 1, would ban natural gas and fossil fuel equipment in new buildings under seven stories. Barclay argued the mandate would drive up housing costs and burden homebuyers in an already fragile economy. “It is a relief to see the voices of utility customers, builders, business owners and cost-minded officials have finally been heard,” he said in a statement Friday.
The delay follows a federal lawsuit challenging the law. Barclay said the suit helped expose what he called “shortcomings” in the state’s energy strategy—including high price tags and limited consumer choice. But he warned that the delay could be temporary, pointing to what he described as a similar reversal on New York’s congestion pricing plan in 2024.
Barclay also criticized other clean energy policies stemming from the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), including the $15 billion price tag estimated for converting all school buses to zero-emission models by 2035. He called the act’s mandates “unworkable” and urged lawmakers to embrace more “balanced” and “cost-effective” strategies.
“This is a start,” Barclay said of the building mandate delay. “But this fight is certainly not over.”
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