New York will delay implementation of a law requiring electrification of new buildings, the state said in a court filing Wednesday.
The decision to suspend the law comes as New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) faces increasing criticism from environmental advocates, with three climate-focused groups endorsing primary challenger Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado (D) this week.
“The governor championed all electric new construction and rightfully supported it along with the Legislature,” said Liz Moran, New York policy advocate for Earthjustice, an environmental law nonprofit. “Here we are, a month later, looking at a decision allowing for this very important law to be delayed while families continue to suffer from higher and higher energy bills.”
A spokesperson for Hochul pushed back on the idea that the governor is changing her position when it comes to electrifying buildings.
