Hochul announces zero-emissions building mandate in NY within 2 years as utility rates set to soar

It turns out that when New York banned gas stoves it was just warming up. 

Just days after the state outlawed the natural gas hookups, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul announced her plan to require "modern zero-emission new homes and buildings" in less than two years.

Hochul's $1.5 billion green energy package is included in her state budget for fiscal year 2024. She touted the funding as "one of the most extensive climate packages in recent history." 

The plan for sustainable buildings, also known as "building decarbonization," requires new homes and buildings seven stories or less to be emissions-free by December of 2025 and "all other new buildings" by 2028. The mandate allows a range of exceptions, including for large industrial/commercial buildings.

"Additionally," the announcement reads, "New York State is ... calling on the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to complete decarbonization action plans for 15 of the highest emitting state facilities." Such plans "will accelerate our progress towards a cleaner building sector" and "move the State closer to reaching our climate goals," said the governor's office.

The package includes $400 million for the state's Environmental Protection Fund, an additional $400 million for so-called energy affordability, $500 million for "clean water infrastructure" and $200 million for state parks. 

The announcement of these massive green initiatives comes days after one of the state's largest utilities, National Grid, said it's eyeing a 17% natural gas rate hike for New York City and 16% for residents of Long Island. If the increases are approved, city residents would pay an additional $371 annually and Long Islanders an additional $342 per year in gas bills, the utility estimates. 

According to Fox5 New York, National Grid New York Deputy General Counsel Phil DeCicco cited the state's green agenda as one of the key drivers for the rate hike.

"We've tried hard to manage our costs, but we're seeing external pressure on our rates," he said.

New York just became the first state in America to issue a ban on gas stoves for new buildings. New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has famously proposed a Green New Deal, a plan to fundamentally transform America's energy infrastructure that could cost up to $93 trillion, according to a study coauthored by a former director of the nonpartisn Congressional Budget Office. 

Studies have warned that shifting from fossil fuels could result in more energy poverty. Germany, which just recently shut down its last nuclear plant and is committed to eliminating fossil fuels, has seen gas costs shoot up as much as 540%. 

Many have warned that should the U.S. abandon fossil fuels, it will become reliant on China to power the nation's energy grid since the communist nation is the world's dominant supplier of the rare earth minerals and products integral to the green enrgy industry

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