Senator Mario Mattera (R-St. James), ranking member of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee and colleagues were joined by stakeholders and business organizations to call for the removal of the NY HEAT Act from budget discussions.
Mattera said the NY HEAT Act is a radical energy policy that would effectively ban the use of natural gas as an energy source for homes and businesses. If enacted, the NY HEAT Act would have disastrous implications including further driving up already high utility costs, forcing homeowners to spend thousands of dollars to retrofit their homes to eliminate natural gas, removing consumer choice on how to heat their homes; and further driving up the costs of building homes and homeownership.
“The NY HEAT Act is nothing short of reckless. It strips away the right of New Yorkers to choose how to heat their homes and will force working families and businesses to spend thousands they do not have. And it will cost many hardworking men and women their careers. As the Ranking Republican Member of the Energy Committee, I have heard directly from homeowners, workers and small businesses who are deeply concerned that this mandate would crush them. We need an energy policy that is practical, affordable, and respects the needs of real people — not one driven by political agendas. The HEAT Act must be removed from the final budget,” said Senator Mattera.
Please click here to watch Senator Mattera’s comments.
“The facts demonstrate, and the Senate sponsor has admitted that 75 percent of New Yorkers will see increases in their energy bill as a result of the NY Heat Act,’ said Daniel Ortega, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Affordable Energy. “We estimate that if the bill were enacted, most consumers would see an $800 yearly increase in energy costs. Worse, the elimination of the 100-foot rule will eliminate thousands of good-paying union jobs that support working families all across New York State. We thank Leader Ortt and the Senate Republicans for their support and ask the Assembly and the Governor to hold firm and keep this proposal out of the final budget.”
“The Northeastern Retail Lumber Association represents over 350 independently owned and operated building material dealer locations across New York — small businesses that have been serving their communities for generations. These businesses provide the materials builders, contractors and homeowners rely on every day. But with costs rising across the board, they’re being squeezed, and so are the customers they serve. This bill will only drive prices higher, making it even harder for everyday New Yorkers to afford basic home repairs. The very people this bill aims to help will be the ones paying the price,” said NRLA Director of Government Relations Francis Palasiesk
“The NY Heat Act will put many of my specialty-trained gas workers on the unemployment line. This bill is expensive and it will reduce jobs as well as consumer choice. I thank the Senate Republican Conference for their support and urge the Assembly and the Governor to reject the New York HEAT Act in this year’s budget,” said Thomas J. Murphy, Vice President, Power and Construction Group.
“If the HEAT Act passes, the gas coming into your house will be turned off. Everything that runs on gas stops working. This is not an effective plan,” said Senator Alexis Weik (R-Sayville).
“The HEAT Act, if enacted, would have devastating consequences for New Yorkers. The banning of natural gas would drive up utility costs for families and businesses alike, all at a time when these same families and businesses are struggling just to get by. Requiring all New Yorkers to switch to a single source of energy also puts all of us in a dangerous and vulnerable position, such as in a case of a natural disaster or power disruption. Just remember Superstorm Sandy! We must reject these extreme measures and pursue energy policies that prioritize reliability, affordability, and consumer choice,” said Senator Dean Murray (R-Patchogue).
“In its current form, the HEAT Act would be devastating for Long Island families, seniors and small businesses who already pay some of the highest energy prices in the nation. It would also increase the cost of new construction—exacerbating the state’s housing shortage and place crippling regulations on an economy known for one of the worst business climates in the country. This bill needs an overhaul, so we don’t cast catastrophic consequences upon New Yorkers who are already facing an affordability crisis,” said Senator Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk).
“Once again, rather than focusing on affordability and consumer choice, one-party control in Albany is focused on advancing policies that will continue to drive up already out of control utility costs, all while limiting consumers’ options for accessing affordable and reliable heating sources. New Yorkers want their lawmakers to tackle high costs, not to further burden ratepayers with expensive and unrealistic mandates. Our conference will continue to focus on bringing down costs for all New Yorkers,” said Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (R-Levittown).
“The New York Heat Act is a disaster for Long Island. Our communities are in the line of hurricanes in the summer and nor’easters in the winter. Most of our power lines are above ground, so when these storms hit, our electrical lines go down and our power goes out. Unless we have protections in place, people will die. This legislation limits our energy options, threatens the lives of residents and will result in higher energy bills for Long Islanders who are already burdened with absurdly high energy bills,” said Senator Jack M. Martins (R-Mineola).
“The HEAT Act is yet another example of Kathy Hochul and Albany Democrats telling you that they know how to live your life and run your household better than you do…and they’ll force you to bend to their will by taking away every other option,” said Senator Steve Rhoads (R-Levittown). “While paying lip service to affordability, the HEAT Act effectively bans safe and dependable Natural Gas and forces nearly every homeowner and business to pay tens of thousands of dollars to convert to electric for heat and hot water. This will drive up utility costs and make New Yorkers fully dependent upon an unreliable and overstressed electrical grid leaving you and your families unprepared.”