Combat the Climate Crisis
There is no doubt that the climate crisis is here.
We are increasingly subjected to extreme heat waves, more intense storms, catastrophic flooding, roaring wildfires, withering droughts, hazardous air pollution, and serious health consequences. NYPIRG is working to ensure that New York continues to lead the country (and even the world) when it comes to tackling our greatest environmental threat.
With the impacts of climate devastation adding up, New York State enacted the trailblazing Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which establishes goals of net zero greenhouse gas emissions in New York by 2050, and 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. Even sooner, by 2030, the law mandates interim targets of 40% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and 70% of all New York’s electricity coming from renewable sources.
2030 is fast approaching. Any delay will mean more deaths, human suffering, and staggering costs from climate-related damages. New York has the tools, know-how, and policy proposals to be a national and global leader with the implementation of the landmark CLCPA, but...
The time to act is NOW!
End Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Science shows that greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels drive the climate crisis and pollute communities — meanwhile, that industry reaps unprecedented profits.
In the past year, global temperatures have broken records, yet so have profits among the West’s largest privately held oil companies.
New York financially incentivizes destructive fossil fuels, exempting the industry from $1.6 billion of Sales and Use Tax and Petroleum Business Tax every year. This tax was first introduced for infrastructure funding in 1983, but since then the industry has wielded its influence to maintain these tax breaks and inflate profits. With our state now facing a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit, it is time to rethink these handouts. Repealing fossil fuel industry tax subsidies will help close the budget gap and signal our opposition to the industry that is a lynchpin in the climate crisis and aggravates environmental injustices.
The Stop Climate Polluter Handouts Act amends the tax code to remove over $330 million in tax handouts to the climate-polluting fossil fuel industry. It pinpoints incentives that benefit the highest polluting fuels and their most unreasonable uses, including high-emission commercial airline fuel and low-grade shipping "bunker" fuel, the operation of fracked gas infrastructure, industry research and development, and more. The Act preserves tax breaks that benefit the public, so the average lower- and middle-income New Yorker will not be significantly impacted, and job losses are not expected.
New York needs the Stop Climate Polluter Handouts Act in order to...
1. Stop incentivizing fossil fuels: Tax breaks should go to businesses offering public benefits, not to the wealthiest industry that causes mounting harm. Yet global fossil fuel subsidies have surged to $7 trillion annually, far higher than those for clean energy. We thereby give climate polluters the green light to keep up their destructive activity.
2. Stop inflating industry profits: Fossil fuels are one of the most profitable industries in the world, raking in $3 billion a day with profits that doubled from 2021 to 2022. Taxpayer money should not be used to further inflate industry profits.
3. Protect people and communities: Intensifying heat waves, floods, and storms already wreak havoc across the state, with disproportionate impacts on low-income areas and communities of color. We must stop incentivizing the polluters that exacerbate environmental injustices.
4. Strengthen the state budget: Repealing these handouts will help balance our state’s budget and reduce any deficits. The Act would save over $330 million in annual revenue.
5. Reach Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) goals: Fossil fuel subsidies are outdated fiscal incentives, are misaligned with the CLCPA, and jeopardize our ability to reach legally mandated targets — a 100% renewable power sector and a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. To reach CLCPA goals, we must stop relying on fossil fuels, and a key step is to stop subsidizing them.
6. End unjust/inequitable airline subsidies: Airlines are subsidized with over $119 million a year, all while posing major environmental justice violations to communities surrounding commercial airports. Aviation subsidies inequitably benefit the small group of high earners who comprise the majority of frequent flyers — just 12% of adults account for 68% of flights. Federal rules designate aviation as "non-obligated," preventing New York from capping its emissions. New York must take action where it can by ending these subsidies.
Climate policy is popular with New York voters.
Voters in New York State supported the 2022 Bond Act and Environmental Bill of Rights in large numbers. Voters nationwide support ending fossil fuel subsidies by a 24-point margin.
NY HEAT Act
The New York Home Energy Affordable Transition (HEAT) Act will cap utility bills and stop the mandatory expansion of dirty fossil fuels.
All New Yorkers deserve safe, reliable, affordable home heating and cooling and a livable future for our families. Millions of state residents currently struggle to pay escalating energy bills, and New York's outdated utility laws are preventing the transition off of dangerous and expensive fossil fuels to efficient and clean heat.
The NY HEAT Act offers a solution by aligning gas utility laws with the state's trailblazing Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. It will help customers switch to zero-greenhouse gas emissions heating and cooling, and ensure affordability by capping energy bills for all customers at no more than 6% of income, avoiding billions of dollars in new gas infrastructure investments, and investing in energy-saving home improvements. The NY HEAT Act will lower utility bills, fight climate change, and support green jobs and healthy homes.
Local Law 97
Local Law 97 of 2019 is New York City’s world-leading climate and jobs law.
It is already a huge success, producing better-than-expected compliance results: 92% of large buildings are now in compliance as large building owners upgrade to high energy efficiency — and save money in the process.
NYPIRG continues to monitor the implementation of this law, from fighting back against bills that would weaken the law (Intro 772 of 2024), to supporting new legislation that would close loopholes that allow landlords to buy their way into compliance instead of upgrading their buildings to high energy efficiency and lower pollution (Intro 1180 of 2025).
Bucks for Boilers
Switching from polluting fossil fuel heating systems to clean, efficient heat pumps is an important step that New Yorkers can take in order to reach our urgent climate goals.
Starting in 2030 for smaller buildings and 2035 for larger ones, the Bucks for Boilers Act will help facilitate this transition by providing up-front financing to make the switch and phase out new oil- and gas-fueled boilers at the most logical time — when their current boiler dies and the system needs replacement. The bill also provides the necessary subsidies, tied to strong labor standards, to repair and weatherize homes.
The Bucks for Boilers Act offers upfront full-coverage subsidies to low- and moderate-income households and a sliding scale for higher income individuals, so everyone benefits from this program.
NYPIRG and countless student and environmental rights advocates have fought tirelessly over the past five decades to ensure that public officials prioritize public health over special interests. Bucks for Boilers puts money in people's pockets to make their homes healthier and upgrade their property value and overall quality of life, doing exactly this.
Electric Lawn Care Equipment
Gasoline-powered lawn care equipment — such as leaf blowers, weed whackers, and lawn mowers — have a significant negative impact on workers, communities, and the environment.
According to the Respiratory Health Association, “engines on gas-powered leaf blowers create air pollution that can cause significant impact to the lungs. A combination of chemicals that contribute to ground-level ozone, as well as fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) can be inhaled by people using the equipment, as well as people nearby. Even short-term exposure to particle pollution and ozone-forming chemicals generated by the machines have been proven to cause or contribute to health concerns.” New Yorkers have been exposed to these health threats. In an October 2023 report, New York ranked third in the country for fine particulate emissions from lawn equipment, and fourth in the nation for carbon dioxide emissions.
Electric equipment, on the other hand...
- Is lighter and quieter.
- Has lower maintenance costs.
- Has a significantly smaller environmental footprint.
- Is better for workers' health, particularly after sustained use over long periods of time.
NYPIRG supports legislation that, while not banning the use of gas-powered equipment, would establish financial incentives to encourage the adoption of electric lawn care equipment through point-of-sale rebates.
Take Climate Action
Tell your New York State Assemblymember to include these two critical climate bills in the state budget:
1. NY HEAT Act (A.4870A/S.4158)
2. Stop Climate Polluter Handouts Act (A.3675/S.3606)
New Yorkers are facing the dual threat of climate and energy affordability crises. As lawmakers have yet to reach an agreement on New York's FY 2026 state budget, the time to make your voice heard and have a major impact on these urgent issues is right now. The New York State Senate has already supported many of these climate policies, but the Assembly needs to hear from you!
*Use NYPIRG’s Representative Finder to find your New York State Assemblymember and get their contact information.
Sample message:
Hello Assemblymember __________. As your constituent, I ask you to urge Assembly leadership to include these two critical climate bills in the state budget: The NY HEAT Act (A.4870A/S.4158) will cap utility bills and stop the mandatory expansion of dirty fossil fuels. The Stop Climate Polluter Handouts Act (A.3675/S.3606) will alleviate roughly $330 million from New York’s donation to the polluting fossil fuel industry through our tax expenditures. I am counting on you to protect New York's environment and consumers by fighting for this legislation. Thank you.
Find and contact your New York State Assemblymember today — thank you for your help!
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We Need Your Support to Win
To combat the powerful oil and gas lobby, New Yorkers must let their leaders know in no uncertain terms that they support strong climate policies.
NYPIRG has a vast network of tens of thousands of community supporters and college student volunteers, and we will continue to activate this powerful statewide network on this critical issue — sharing opportunities for public comments, social media days of action, call-in drives, media events, community meetings, and more. That is where you come in…
Winning on all of this — along with our continued work on recycling and waste reduction, public health, government reform, consumer and voting rights, higher education, mass transit, and more — will only be possible if we have the grassroots support that we need to go up against the politically powerful. Your help will be essential as we take on the polluters, well-heeled lobbyists, and those public officials who put their own interests ahead of the public interest.
Please support our crucial efforts to combat the climate crisis:
- Contact us to get involved.
- Join our Community Action Network.
- Donate to keep us strong and effective.