A group of New York House Republicans is ramping up pressure on Gov. Kathy Hochul to repeal the state's 2019 climate law, arguing that it is driving utility costs higher for residents and businesses across the Empire State.
The effort, led by Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., comes as Hochul faces re-election in November and has herself acknowledged the potential for "cataclysmic" costs if the law is implemented on schedule.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive Democrats and environmental advocates maintain that the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act is essential for New York's future, even as they acknowledge the need to address cost concerns.
Hochul, who has long supported the law that was passed under former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, has proposed a middle-ground approach. In March, she called for delaying enforcement targets while preserving the law's 2050 target of net-zero emissions. "Put simply, something has got to give," she wrote in an op-ed. "The undeniable fact is we cannot meet the Climate Act's 2030 targets without imposing new and additional crushing costs on New York businesses and residents."
Environmental groups argue that rolling back the law would undermine years of progress on climate action and hurt communities that were specifically designed to benefit from the legislation's equity provisions.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans say the 2019 climate law was based on faulty assumptions and unrealistic goals that will devastate the state's economy.
"Utility bills are at the center of the affordability crisis with New York," the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Hochul. "Given these significant cost burdens, we strongly urge that the CLCPA be repealed."
The letter further states: "The basic fact is this: the 2019 Climate Law was based on faulty assumptions and was enacted using wishful thinking instead of hard facts. It is time to inform the citizens of our state about the realities of the 2019 Climate Law and acknowledge that its goals are unattainable, its costs are too high, and it is overall destructive to our state's economy."
Republicans are also demanding that Hochul provide immediate relief by redirecting several billion dollars in unspent ratepayer-collected funds back to residents facing high electric bills.
What the Numbers Show
A study cited by Republicans found that electricity prices in New York were the sixth highest in the nation in December and 59% higher than the national average.
A Feb. 26 memo released by the Hochul administration found that households would pay $4,000 in additional energy costs per year if the state penalizes oil and gas producers as called for by the law. The memo also found the climate mandate would increase gas prices by $2.23 a gallon.
More than 60% of New Yorkers said that keeping energy costs affordable is more important than lowering greenhouse gas emissions, according to an April 2025 Siena College poll.
The debate over New York's climate law comes as Democrats across the country are walking back aggressive environmental and climate policies amid surging electric bills and growing voter concern about the cost of living.
The Bottom Line
The pressure campaign highlights a political vulnerability for Hochul heading into the November election, as Republicans seek to capitalize on affordability concerns in a traditionally blue state. While Hochul has proposed delaying enforcement targets, Republicans are pushing for full repeal, arguing that the law's goals are unattainable and its costs too high. A spokesperson for Hochul did not respond to requests for comment on the Republican letter.