CLCPA-Related Costs Continue to Loom Over New Yorkers

February 26th, 2026

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

“State Budget Director Blake Washington recently warned that the energy transition could cost many New Yorkers an additional $3,000 a year – approximately 4.5% percent of the average upstate household income. At a time when New Yorkers are already struggling, adding $3,000 in government-mandated costs is unconscionable.

“In October, New York State Supreme Court Justice Julian Schreibman ruled that the state is violating its own climate law. During those proceedings, the state itself acknowledged that implementing Cap-and-Invest ‘would require imposing extraordinary and damaging costs upon New Yorkers,’ and the Department of Environmental Conservation warned that ‘the 2030 goal itself is not practically feasible due to costs consumers simply cannot bear.’

“The affordability challenges inherent in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, including Cap-and-Invest, cannot be ignored. New York’s leaders must take immediate action to amend the law and protect families from unaffordable energy burdens.”