Upstate United: Is the CLCPA Dead?

June 23rd, 2025

The following statement can be attributed to Justin Wilcox, Executive Director of Upstate United

“With Governor Hochul’s directive to the New York Power Authority to add at least 1 gigawatt of nuclear power generation, come many questions. First and foremost, is the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) dead? Making such a major decision to rely on the state’s public electric utility leaves the status of New York State’s energy policy, from natural gas allowances to unachievable offshore wind targets, unclear.

“For years, we have expressed major concerns over the hasty timeline of larger-than-life mandates driven by the CLCPA. As missed deadlines pile up and initiatives like Cap-and-Invest, the Advanced Clean Truck Rule and projects used to justify Propel NY are being put on pause indefinitely, New Yorkers have remained in the dark when it comes to the costs and uncertain impact on grid reliability. Without a clear and transparent roadmap, state leaders and policymakers have been forced to pivot. Now is the time to sit down and take a hard look at the CLCPA and what must go into devising a realistic energy policy.”