KINGSTON, N.Y. – Dozens of Ulster County residents gathered Thursday at Energy Square, upstate New York’s first net-zero affordable housing development. Those in attendance called on lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul to pass the New York Fever Act.
Suzanne Bigan, an environmental activist and New Paltz mother, said the bill, if passed, would help New Yorkers in the state, especially those on low to moderate incomes.
“Last winter, I received a bill for $640 for a two-bedroom apartment,” Vigan said.
The HEAT Act aims to make the state more energy efficient by eliminating the use of fossil fuels and replacing them with geothermal and solar panel energy sources. It had been stalled in the state Legislature for years.
Briana Rodriguez, a student at the State University of New York at New Paltz, is a climate change advocate. She said the HEAT Act offers hope to New Yorkers who are struggling to finance basic necessities.
“No one should be forced to pay an additional 18% in the winter just to meet their basic heating needs,” Rodriguez said. “18% is more than just a number on the bill. It represents hours of work, sleepless nights, and fear of falling into debt.”
If passed, the New York Heat Act would provide residents with indiscriminate and affordable access to the energy they need to heat, cool, and power the buildings in which they live and work. The bill also provides a legal push to improve air quality and reduce the growing use of fossil fuels. price.
Several New Yorkers told Spectrum News 1 they expect Hochul to consider the bill in the 2025 executive budget.
