New York Governor Kathy Hochul's administration has put on the brakes on a key piece of environmental legislation that aimed to phase out gas stoves in new buildings, sparking criticism from both environmental groups and Republicans.
The All-Electric Buildings Act was set to take effect in January for new buildings up to seven stories, with the rest scheduled for 2029. However, state lawyers agreed to delay implementation amid an ongoing court fight challenging the law. The move has left environmental advocates feeling frustrated and concerned about the impact on New York's climate progress.
The decision has also drawn fire from Republicans, who accuse Hochul of cynically slowing down the rollout ahead of her re-election in 2026. GOP candidate for governor Elise Stefanik called the delay a "political ploy" aimed at increasing prices and hurting New Yorkers.
Environmentalists say that delaying the implementation will only serve to prolong New York's reliance on fossil fuels, exacerbating the state's affordability crisis. Katherine Nadeau, deputy executive director of policy and programs at Environmental Advocates NY, said: "Delaying the All Electric Buildings Act will keep us stuck in a fossil fuel past we can't afford."
Hochul's office maintains that the governor remains committed to enforcing green mandates, citing the ongoing court challenge as a reason for the delay. However, critics argue that this move amounts to a cynical attempt to avoid addressing pressing issues like energy affordability.
The decision comes amid Hochul's efforts to slow down other green initiatives in order to boost her chances of re-election. Earlier this year, she delayed implementation of a "cap and invest" program that would have increased gas prices, and last week approved a natural-gas pipeline off the coast of New York - a move seen as an attempt to curry favor with the White House.
Democratic pollster Evan Roth Smith notes that climate change-related policies are less popular when they conflict with affordability. "Green energy is on the back burner and bringing prices down is on the front-burner," he said.
The delay has also sparked pressure from industry groups, which have called for a slowdown in deadlines related to electrifying New York's car fleet. The rule requires that 35% of 2026 model cars sold in the state be "emissions-free" and 100% by 2035.
The All-Electric Buildings Act was set to take effect in January for new buildings up to seven stories, with the rest scheduled for 2029. However, state lawyers agreed to delay implementation amid an ongoing court fight challenging the law. The move has left environmental advocates feeling frustrated and concerned about the impact on New York's climate progress.
The decision has also drawn fire from Republicans, who accuse Hochul of cynically slowing down the rollout ahead of her re-election in 2026. GOP candidate for governor Elise Stefanik called the delay a "political ploy" aimed at increasing prices and hurting New Yorkers.
Environmentalists say that delaying the implementation will only serve to prolong New York's reliance on fossil fuels, exacerbating the state's affordability crisis. Katherine Nadeau, deputy executive director of policy and programs at Environmental Advocates NY, said: "Delaying the All Electric Buildings Act will keep us stuck in a fossil fuel past we can't afford."
Hochul's office maintains that the governor remains committed to enforcing green mandates, citing the ongoing court challenge as a reason for the delay. However, critics argue that this move amounts to a cynical attempt to avoid addressing pressing issues like energy affordability.
The decision comes amid Hochul's efforts to slow down other green initiatives in order to boost her chances of re-election. Earlier this year, she delayed implementation of a "cap and invest" program that would have increased gas prices, and last week approved a natural-gas pipeline off the coast of New York - a move seen as an attempt to curry favor with the White House.
Democratic pollster Evan Roth Smith notes that climate change-related policies are less popular when they conflict with affordability. "Green energy is on the back burner and bringing prices down is on the front-burner," he said.
The delay has also sparked pressure from industry groups, which have called for a slowdown in deadlines related to electrifying New York's car fleet. The rule requires that 35% of 2026 model cars sold in the state be "emissions-free" and 100% by 2035.
! If Kathy Hochul really wanted to address climate change, she'd be pushing forward with the All-Electric Buildings Act no matter what. But now, it's all about playing politics and avoiding controversy, just like they do in Washington D.C. 
. I mean, have you seen the pipeline approval? That was a clear favor to the White House, and now we're getting the dirty energy they love 
.
. It's time for Hochul to put the people over politics and make some real changes 
!
...like, we need to phase out gas stoves ASAP if we wanna reduce greenhouse gases, but Hochul's office is all "hold on, let's go to court first" 
. and now environmental groups are getting all frustrated because they feel like it's gonna set back NY's climate progress 
. i get where they're coming from tho - delaying this law might be seen as a cynical move by some, especially with re-election looming in 2026 
. but let's not forget that climate change is real and we need to take action NOW 
. it's frustrating when politcs gets in the way of progress 
.
. Who gets stuck with higher bills? Not politicians, that's for sure 
... I mean, I get it that there's a court fight and all, but can't they just get it sorted out already? 
This delay is gonna hurt the planet big time! 
And now, with gas stoves still around, I'm worried about all the emissions and stuff. 
... if we wanna tackle those emissions, we gotta make some sacrifices now 
.
.
. But on the bright side, it means we're having a real conversation about the trade-offs between environmental progress and affordability 
It's not like there's just one way to do this stuff. And hey, maybe this delay gives everyone time to figure out some creative solutions that work for both our wallets and the planet 
.
. Maybe that means we'll get more focus on the things that actually matter, like making sure our cars are running on clean energy by 2035 
. And who knows, maybe this whole thing will make people think twice about gas stoves and really start to explore alternative options 
.
. We're having a debate, we're thinking critically about our priorities... that's gotta be good for the planet 
. I'm starting to think Hochul is more worried about keeping her job than saving the planet...