New York’s governor wants to delay a landmark climate law. That could cost households thousands in energy bills

Kathy Hochul, the governor of New York, has proposed a delay to the state’s landmark 2019 climate law, saying its goals would be too costly and could worsen already-expensive utility bills. But a coalition of climate, labor, and community groups counters that there are serious costs to not meeting the law’s climate goals—like more expensive energy bills, lost jobs, and health impacts caused by pollution. Delaying the law would cost New Yorkers nearly $9,000 on their energy bills per household over five years, due to the loss of billions of dollars in energy credits or rebates, according to an analysis from NY Renews. The proposed rollbacks would mean roughly 150,000 jobs lost statewide, as well as 5,000 premature deaths and 4,000 asthma hospitalizations over the next five years.   Hochul’s proposed Climate Law changes In 2019, New York state passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, known colloquially as the Climate Law. It was signed into law by Hochu