Gov. Kathy Hochul signed three bills designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissionswas one of three climate-related measures approved by the governor, along with bills paving the way for utility companies to expand thermal energy and making more renewable energy construction projects subject to the prevailing wage.a U.S. Supreme Court decision last week
The new building codes and appliances law is meant to cut down on energy use, both as a way to reduce emissions and cut down on energy costs for consumers. Hochul also signed the Utility Thermal Energy Network and Jobs Act into law, as well as a third measure requiring prevailing wage for any renewable energy project one megawatt or larger – down from the current five megawatts.
“We have to get to a clean energy economy in terms of generation in the ground,” he said. “We have to work with the utilities to have good interconnections and make that process smoother. We are going to need to make sure our transmission system is better.”
The Governor continued, “But, frankly, if it threatens to cost me anything politically I’m gonna pass, so, oh well”