Action Alerts

This bill would save New Yorkers nearly $1,000 per year while fighting climate change

What's At Stake

New York’s nation-leading climate law sets in place critical mandates to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions – now New York must adopt policies to meet these mandates. One crucial policy that would help meet these mandates is the NY HEAT Act. This policy would ensure that no New Yorker pays over 6 percent of their household income on energy costs.  The upcoming 2024 state budget is a key moment to push forward this critical legislation to build New York’s climate-friendly, all-electric future. Urge Governor Hochul to put this bill in the budget!  

 

Read More

New Yorkers just experienced a hot, expensive climate crisis summer marked by smoke-filled skies and dangerous air quality, unprecedented flooding that left people stranded, and record-breaking heat waves.  

Buildings are New York State’s single largest source of carbon emissions, harming both the climate and public health. In fact, building emissions across New York account for nearly 2,000 premature deaths a year, more than any other state.  

The NY HEAT Act would ensure that the transition away from fossil-fueled buildings is swift and affordable by preventing gas companies from raising customers’ rates to cover the cost of expanding their polluting and outdated system. These provisions together would save New York families nearly $1,000 per year, putting money back in people’s pockets to cover food, rent, savings and other basic needs as we face a cost-of-living crisis.  

To get this critical policy passed, we’ll need every voice to speak up for our right to clean energy and clean air. Join us today in telling Governor Hochul to put the NY HEAT Act in the 2024 budget!  

Empire State building and Manhattan skyline, New York City, USA (Matteo Colombo / Getty Images)
Empire State Building and Manhattan skyline, New York City. (Matteo Colombo / Getty Images)

26 Days Remain

Delivery to Governor Hochul

Important Notice

Your message is delivered to a public agency, and all information submitted may be placed in the public record. Do not submit confidential information.

By taking action, you will receive emails from Earthjustice. Change your mailing preferences or opt-out at any time. Learn more in our Privacy Policy. This Earthjustice action is hosted on EveryAction. Learn about EveryAction’s Privacy Policy.

Why is a phone number or prefix required on some action forms?

Trouble Viewing This Action?

If the action form is not loading above, please add earthjustice.org as a trusted website in your ad blocker or pause any ad blockers, and refresh this webpage. (Details.) If the action form still does not display, please report the problem to us at action@earthjustice.org. Thank you!

Your Actions Matter

Your messages make a difference, even if we have leaders who don't want to listen. Here's why.

You level the playing field.

Elected officials pay attention when they see that we are paying attention. Read more.

They may be hearing from industry lobbyists left and right, but hearing the stories of their constituents — that’s your power.

Our legislators serve at the pleasure of the people who gave them their job — you.

Make sure your elected officials know whose community and whose values they represent. When you contact your elected official, you’re putting a face and a name on an issue.

Whether or not you voted for them, they work for you, for the duration of their term.

Make sure your elected officials know whose community and whose values they represent. (Find your local, state, and federal elected officials.)

Your action is with us in court.

If a federal agency finalizes a harmful action, the record of public comments provides a basis for bringing them into court. Read more.

Throughout each of the public comment periods we alert you to, Earthjustice’s attorneys are researching and writing in-depth, technical comments to submit — detailing how the regulation could and should be stronger to protect the environment, our communities, and our planet.

We need you to join us — your specific experiences, knowledge, and voice are crucial to add to the Administrative Record through the comment periods.

Lawsuits we file that challenge weak or harmful federal regulations rely on what was submitted during the comment period. The court can only look at documents that are in the Administrative Record — including the public comments — to decide if the agency did something improper.

Your actions aid our litigation. Taking action and submitting comments during a comment period is substantively important.

It’s the law.

Federal agencies must pause what they’re doing and ask for — and consider — your comment. Read more.

Many of us may have never heard of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), but laws like these require our government to ask the public to weigh in before agencies adopt or change regulations.

Regulations essentially describe how federal agencies will carry out laws — including decisions that could undermine science, or weaken safeguards on public health.

Public comments are collected at various points throughout the federal government’s rulemaking process, including when a regulation is proposed and finalized. (Learn about the rulemaking process.) These comments become part of the official, legal public record — the “Administrative Record.”

When the public responds with a huge outpouring of support for environmental protections, these individual messages collectively undercut politicians' attempts to claim otherwise.

What this means is each of us can take a role in shaping the rules our government creates — and ensuring those rules are fair and effective.