Governor Hochul plans for NYS to invest more in Green Energy

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)–Investing in Green energy is one of the big issues Governor Hochul plans to focus on this year. Recently, she announced the EMpower Plus Program.

“It will help low income families retrofit their home by adding insulation, updating appliances, switching from fossil fuels to clean electric heating systems. And this program will reach tens of thousands of households within a year,” said Hochul during her State of the State address.

She said homes that electrify will be eligible for the energy afforadabilty guarantee that they will not have to spend more than 6 percent of their income on electricity.

“We also want to reduce the over all burden on our residents struggling with high electric bills. We will be providing at least $165 million in relief for almost 800,000 New Yorkers,” said Hochul.

By 2025, the governor would like all new construction to be zero emission for small buildings, new large buildings to be zero emission by 2028, and wants to prohibit the sale of new fossil fuel heating equipment for smaller buildings by 2030 and for larger buildings by 2035

Democratic Assemblymember Pat Fahy said she finds Hochul’s plan encouraging.

“There is always a lot of devil in the details that we will continue to hear more about,” said Fahy.

Some lawmakers like Republican Senator Tom O’Mara are concerned.

“At the pace their setting, it’s not going to be feasible. It’s not going to be reliable. And it certainly isn’t going to be affordable for the average New Yorker,” said O’Mara.

He worries that the Cap-and-Invest program that the Governor also mentioned in her State of the State address will negatively impact manufactures.