Environmental Defense Fund Opposes Reported Proposals to Weaken New York’s Climate Law

ALBANY, N.Y. – This week, Environmental Defense Fund urged New York legislators to reject the latest reported proposed changes to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and advocate for a mandatory interim emissions reduction target in 2040, near-term cap-and-invest regulations, increased funding for the Sustainable Future Fund, and stronger protections and investments for disadvantaged communities.

“Reported changes threaten the core integrity of New York’s landmark climate law at a moment when state leadership to cut climate pollution and scale clean, affordable energy could not be more important,” EDF wrote in the memo. “Environmental Defense Fund urges the Legislature to advance a counterproposal that ensures New York can continue to lead on clean, affordable energy, protect communities from health-harming air pollution, and reduce greenhouse gas pollution at the pace and scale necessary to confront the climate crisis.”

Reported changes to the law could weaken enforceability of any emissions targets before 2050. An interim, mandatory emissions target in 2040 is essential to drive near- and medium-term emissions reductions to limit the worst impacts of climate pollution.

“Kicking New York’s first pollution reduction target 14 years down the road and making it optional would only prolong our reliance on increasingly expensive fossil fuels, saddling New Yorkers with higher energy bills and more pollution.” said Kate Courtin, Senior Manager, State Climate Policy & Strategy at Environmental Defense Fund. “The legislature must reject these changes that will cost their constituents and hold the line on mandatory interim pollution targets that will save lives and speed investment in clean, affordable energy solutions that New Yorkers need today.”

The memo also emphasizes that a well-designed cap-and-invest program would deliver significant affordability and economic benefits, including average net savings of more than $1,000 for 85% of New York households over its first decade, while raising sustained revenue for clean energy, pollution reduction, and cost-saving investments in disadvantaged communities.

New Yorkers have already missed out on two full years of benefits from cap-and-invest, amounting to well over $3 billion in investments in energy efficiency, infrastructure upgrades, pollution reduction, and utility bill rebates. Regulations for cap-and-invest should be adopted by 2027 and reduce emissions on a declining trajectory consistent with science-based recommendations to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. 

New Yorkers deserve the cleaner air, lower energy bills, better health outcomes, and community benefits that the climate law promised. EDF urges lawmakers to preserve the integrity of New York’s landmark climate law and advance an alternative proposal that meets the scale of the moment.