Roger That: New York Senate Republicans Tell Hochul It's Time to Step Back from the Brink and Tank the Terrible Climate Act.

Well, this is interesting. New York State Senate Republicans are showing signs of life for a change. Most New York State Republicans, with a few notable exceptions such as Lee Zeldin, are of the squishy, don’t rock the boat, uniparty variety. But, they must sense their constituents are ticked off about their electric bills and, worse, completely understand the cause.

Whatever the motivation, I applaud the following letter these folks just sent to Kathy Hochul (emphasis added):

The Honorable Kathy Hochul Governor of New York State New York State Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224

Subject: Energy State of Emergency

Dear Governor Hochul,

We write today with a deep sense of urgency to respectfully urge you to issue a State Declaration of Disaster Emergency pursuant to Executive Law §28, in response to escalating reliability concerns surrounding our electric grid and the rapidly rising energy costs burdening New York ratepayers. In accordance with Executive Law §29-A, we further request the suspension of laws enacted under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), Chapter 106 of the Laws of 2019.

The current trajectory toward an all-electric future presents serious and immediate threats to both the reliability of our power grid and the affordability of energy for New Yorkers. Just last month, the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) issued multiple Energy Warnings due to a significant decline in operating reserves - underscoring the fragility of the system under current policies.

Legislation stemming from the CLCPA, including mandates for electric vehicles, electric school buses, electric buildings, the repeal of the “100-foot rule,” and a Cap-and-Invest program risks overloading the grid at a time when demand is growing and reliable energy supply is increasingly constrained.

In addition to these reliability concerns, the economic toll of the CLCPA implementation is becoming untenable. A conservative estimate places the total cost of the law’s implementation at

$340 billion. Electricity rates in New York are now 48% higher than the national average and 35% higher than in neighboring Pennsylvania. Alarmingly, nearly 20% of a typical utility bill now consists of government-imposed charges, a figure likely to rise further without intervention.

These realities point to a transition plan that is not only unsustainable but one that risks creating an economic and energy disaster. We believe a pause is essential - one that allows for reassessment, thoughtful adjustment, and a renewed commitment to an energy policy that balances environmental responsibility with reliability and affordability.

We urge your administration to convene a comprehensive review process involving a wide range of stakeholders - industry experts, energy producers, ratepayer advocates, labor and local communities. We further advocate for an “all-of-the-above” energy policy that does not rely solely on wind and solar but also embraces dependable energy sources.

We encourage your administration to continue to push forward with nuclear energy development but let the private sector take the lead. At the same time, we respectfully ask you to reconsider your administration’s stance toward natural gas, a critical and dependable energy source for millions of New Yorkers. Natural gas must remain part of our diverse and resilient energy mix.

This is a pivotal moment for our state’s energy future. We urge you to act now to protect the stability of our energy grid and the economic well-being of all New Yorkers.

Sincerely,

Senator Robert G. Ortt

Senator Tom O’Mara

Senator Mario Mattera

Senator Steve Chan

Senator Jake Ashby

Senator Peter Oberacker

Senator Pam Helming

Senator Mark Walczyk

Senator Dan Stec

Senator Steve Rhoads

Senator Alexis Weik

Senator George Borrello

Senator William Weber

Senator Patrick Gallivan

Senator Dean Murray

Senator Jack M. Martins

Senator Joseph Griffo

Senator Andrew Lanza

Kathy Hochul called it grandstanding, of course. What else is she going to do? Here's some of what her people had to say, which tells quite a different story:

The Governor has made it clear she's taking an all-of-the-above approach to energy that prioritizes affordability, reliability, and sustainability…

Hochul did acknowledge last week that the economic environment has changed since the CLCPA was passed under former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

"It all goes back a number of years and I've had to take a close look and realize that we cannot accomplish what those objectives were back before I became governor in a timeframe that's gonna not hurt rate payers. So we're slowing things down. I wanna make sure people know that,” the governor said last Tuesday.

Doreen Harris, president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), acknowledged the change in policy, telling Capital Tonight on Wednesday that while the achievement of the climate law is still one potential scenario, the state’s emerging draft energy plan also looks at the challenges the law is facing, including roadblocks at the federal level.

“All the above” is the first step toward admitting the unreliables are not only not helpful, but also dangerous to the grid. And, then there is “one potential outcome.” I’d say that's a complete win for our friend Roger Caiazza, who has successfully predicted every bit of this!

Hat Tip: R.K.

#NewYork #ClimateAct #Hochul #Republicans #Senate