Governor Kathy Hochul is proposing changes to New York’s landmark climate law, arguing the revisions would help prevent rising energy costs, while environmental advocates say the move weakens the state’s commitment to reducing emissions.
In an opinion piece published Friday, Hochul outlined proposed amendments to the state budget that would modify the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, or CLCPA.
Among the changes, the governor is calling for extending the deadline to issue greenhouse gas reduction regulations to the end of 2030, creating a new emissions target for 2040, and revising how the state measures pollution.
The CLCPA, passed in 2019, requires New York to cut greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050. However, the state has already missed a key deadline to adopt regulations outlining how those reductions will be achieved. A state Supreme Court ruling last year found the Hochul administration in violation of the law for failing to release those rules.
Hochul also wants to change how emissions are calculated, including eliminating the state’s current 20-year Global Warming Potential metric, which factors in methane and emissions tied to out-of-state fossil fuel extraction. She argues the method does not align with international standards.
The governor said the proposed changes are necessary to avoid steep increases in utility and fuel costs. Citing a report from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Hochul said current mandates could raise annual heating bills by about $4,000 for upstate households using oil and gas, and roughly $2,300 in New York City. The report also estimates gasoline prices could increase by more than $2.20 per gallon.
Hochul also pointed to federal policies as contributing to higher costs, citing canceled clean energy funding, tariffs, and global conflicts affecting fuel prices.
Consumer advocates note that utility affordability is already a growing concern. According to AARP New York and the Public Utility Law Project, more than 1.2 million households were at least 60 days behind on their utility bills last year, with combined arrears exceeding $1.8 billion. Utility companies reportedly shut off service to nearly 409,000 households in 2025 due to nonpayment.
Environmental groups, however, criticized the proposal, arguing it could delay critical climate action and benefit fossil fuel interests. The Sane Energy Project reports that oil and gas companies have spent more than $15 million lobbying in Albany since 2021.
The proposed changes are expected to be debated as part of ongoing state budget negotiations.
Statement from State Senator Pam Helming:
“Regardless of the Governor’s latest remarks, I will continue working to roll back costly all-electric mandates, lower energy costs, and deliver a more realistic, reliable energy strategy that protects our environment without pricing New Yorkers out of their own state.
New Yorkers don’t need more delays, excuses, or shifting timelines. They need action. I will continue fighting for the real relief they need.”
New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher:
“Today, Governor Hochul announced she will seek to change the Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act (CLCPA) requirements to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions, extending the previous target date of 2024 to 2030.
“This comes after New York Farm Bureau and our agricultural partners made it clear that these requirements would not only cause great hardship for farmers, but would also hit New Yorkers’ wallets very hard — to the tune of thousands of dollars more per year for household oil and natural gas. We also underscored that the goals originally set forth were unrealistic for everyone and would be impossible to meet.
“The governor’s proposal includes an additional 2040 milestone alongside the existing 2050 statewide limit, leaving the 2030 and 2050 targets unchanged. In addition, the governor has committed to changing the accounting methodology for greenhouse gas reduction to align more closely with other states. This is long overdue and will create both a more realistic path to achieve climate goals and a more accurate picture of the real successes achieved thus far.
“Let me be clear: As stewards of the land, farmers support sustainability efforts, but they cannot support initiatives that make their livelihoods impossible and impose devastating increases in utility costs for the average New Yorker.
“We need an all-energy approach that includes a clean fuel standard and renewable natural gas, and we also want to study nuclear energy as a viable alternative. Further, the high cost of electric power and the inadequate grid capacity make it clear that alternative solutions are necessary. We support using sustainable aviation fuel and biofuel as climate-conscious solutions while making improvements to the CLCPA.
“We thank Governor Hochul for recognizing that while farmers want to take steps to reduce emissions and use cleaner energy, we cannot do so at the cost of affordability.”
