New York Republicans, including State Senator Rob Ortt, have not been shy in questioning the aggressiveness of New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s climate plans. Now, some local mayors, and even Hochul herself, are voicing concerns with how the agenda could financially impact families if unchanged.
The climate action plan sets a goal of 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 85% by 2050. It was passed in 2019, and Hochul has worked to maintain the trajectory during her tenure. But now, she suggests there should be more time to reach those goals.
The current climate plan may be putting too much stress on communities, even after starting a climate change task force in North Tonawanda, mayor Austin Tylec said.
“Our building department, it's an ongoing thing where they're saying the new regulations that we're looking at, that are coming up, aren't going to be affordable," he said. "We are a growing city in North Tonawanda, as are my partners here. New York, the region is really growing, and we need to have all the tools in place that we can afford to keep that growth.”
Hochul's goals for clean energy remain the same, but it must be in a way that’s financially responsible.
“We will make these transitions, but in a way that does not hurt our struggling families across the state of New York," she said. "We just can't do that right now. So I just need, I just need a little more time. I'm not repealing; I'm just saying, give us a longer runway.”
There’s hope that Hochul’s Let Them Build agenda will ease the burden for residents. According to the governor’s website, the plan makes what she calls ‘common sense’ changes to the State Environmental Quality Review Act, expediting projects that have been “consistently found to not have adverse environmental impacts.”
The bill is essential for upcoming building projects, Fredonia Mayor Michael Ferguson said.
“We've got a brand new hospital coming in, new water system. And for a homeowner not to have to go through (State Environmental Quality Review) on property that has already been analyzed by the developers, it's just additional cost, and it makes it tougher to buy a home," he said. "So, the affordability across this bill, across this budget, is what we seek and we're very excited about it.”
