Yesterday, on September 17th, in New York, a group of Republican lawmakers, including the senior member of the New York State Energy Commission and State Assemblyman Phil Palmesano, held a press conference at State Senator Chen Xueli’s office in Brooklyn. They criticized Governor Hochul and the Democratic Party’s energy policies. Attendees pointed out that these policies aimed at “full electrification” have led to continuous increases in utility rates, further depriving consumers of energy choices, without considering affordability, reliability, and feasibility.
Palmesano emphasized that the radical climate agenda promoted by Democrats years ago has indeed imposed high costs on New York families and businesses. “We have warned that this would happen, and the results speak for themselves.” He criticized Hochul for sacrificing the interests of ordinary people to cater to the advocates of the “Green New Deal,” with almost no impact on global carbon emissions.
In a joint statement, the lawmakers further pointed out that the Hochul administration denies the importance of natural gas in heating and power generation while strongly promoting electric vehicles and battery storage systems without sufficient research on safety and feasibility. They demanded full cost-benefit and safety testing before the comprehensive implementation of policies and called for more physical public hearings, especially in the central, northern, and southern regions, to allow affected communities to voice their concerns.
Several lawmakers stated during their speeches that mandatory energy transition will burden New York families and small businesses.
“These policies will only raise the cost of living, strip away choices, and potentially jeopardize grid stability without helping environmental protection,” said State Assemblyman Zheng Yongjia representing the Eighth Avenue Chinese community. “New Yorkers should have affordable and reliable energy, not punitive policies.”
State Assemblyman Michael Novakhov from the Sheep’s Head Bay district criticized the governor for “choosing to side with progressive activists rather than ordinary people,” while State Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny representing Coney Island and Bay Ridge reminded that “at a time when working families are struggling to make ends meet, the state government is approving an average monthly increase of $22 in energy costs.” State Senator Chen Xueli from the Bensonhurst district called on the public to unite and resist “unrealistic energy mandates.”
Currently, New York has held six energy policy hearings with three more underway. One in Brooklyn was held at the Brooklyn Borough Hall last night, and the final statewide video hearing will take place next Tuesday from 5 to 7 pm. The schedule for public hearings can be found at: https://energyplan.ny.gov/Get-Involved/Hearings
Palmesano and his colleagues are requesting to extend the hearings for 90 days and to set up more venues in additional areas. They stress that energy policies are crucial to people’s livelihoods and the economy, and the New York state government must reassess to avoid imposing a heavy burden on New York families.