Advocates are upset about Governor Hochul's exclusion of NY HEAT Act in this year's budget

WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Samantha Simmons

Published February 1, 2025 at 1:05 PM EST

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The NY HEAT Act would rescind what’s known as the 100 foot rule, which requires that utility ratepayers subsidize gas hook up installations within 100 feet of a home or business. It also caps utility bills for low income New Yorkers, and makes it easier for gas companies to help customers convert to energy saving devices, like heat pumps.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s $252 billion budget proposal includes measures to address the demand for energy efficiency driven by artificial intelligence and the preservation of natural resources. But some advocates are upset about the governor’s exclusion of language included in last year’s budget specifically referencing the NY HEAT Act — which stalled last session — that would eliminate the so-called “100-foot” rule and protect utility customers from bearing the cost of investments in fossil fuel infrastructure and the cap and invest program. WAMC's Samantha Simmons spoke with Rich Schrader, Director of New York Government Affairs at the Natural Resources Defense Council, who says it could set back the state’s clean energy goals.