Amid the worst inflation in 40 years, New Yorkers are forced to tighten their belts to manage persistent, skyrocketing prices. The cost of living is rising, and household budgets are feeling the pinch. The price of gasoline continues to increase, with the U.S. average expected to reach $4 per gallon. Home-heating costs have soared with utility bills […]
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Amid the worst inflation in 40 years, New Yorkers are forced to tighten their belts to manage persistent, skyrocketing prices. The cost of living is rising, and household budgets are feeling the pinch. The price of gasoline continues to increase, with the U.S. average expected to reach $4 per gallon. Home-heating costs have soared with utility bills doubling or even tripling over the last month.
To be sure, the factors driving national inflation and oil prices are based on world events, global markets, and other outside factors. But the future of New York’s energy costs must be tracked closely. What New York consumers are forced to change and how much they’ll pay will be determined in large part by recent legislative action in Albany.
In 2019, Democrats in the state legislature passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). The legislation set a lofty (some might say unrealistic) goal for New York state to reach zero-emission power generation by 2050. The CLCPA established the Climate Action Council, a panel tasked with developing a plan on how to get there. That plan was released in December and is now in the public-comment period through April 30, 2022. You can view and comment on the plan at: https://climate.ny.gov/Our-Climate-Act/Draft-Scoping-Plan.
This endeavor will require hundreds of billions of dollars and will completely overhaul the state’s energy sector. Gas-powered vehicles would be gone. Homes and buildings heated by natural gas would be required to convert to electricity. Our entire energy system would be dependent on green technologies whose reliability is still uncertain, while proven options like natural gas would cease to exist in New York. The final price tag and exact cost increases on consumers are still unknown. But we do know the actual impact any of these measures will at best have is a minimal impact on global climate change.
Assembly Republicans have insisted that the CLCPA necessitates a thorough cost-benefit analysis. Legislation — specifically A.7524A, sponsored by Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) — has been introduced that would require the state to undertake an independent review by a third-party in order to assess the costs and effectiveness of implementing the CLCPA’s initiatives.
We all want clean air, water, and a healthy planet. Environmental goals are worth pursuing. But as usual, progressive Democrats expect that their green agenda comes with blank check and no questions asked. It is irresponsible to start an initiative of this size and magnitude without considering the real-world impacts and costs on the people of this state.
With so much happening in today’s world, it’s easy to overlook state regulations with long-term benchmarks. But the harsh realities we’re seeing in today’s energy sector should provide a cautionary tale. Now is the time for New Yorkers to take a long look at what the future holds and what the Climate Action Council recommends. I encourage everyone to make their voices heard.
William (Will) A. Barclay, Republican, is the New York Assembly minority leader and represents the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses most of Oswego County, including the cities of Oswego and Fulton, as well as the town of Lysander in Onondaga County and town of Ellisburg in Jefferson County.