NYS forced to shift back to fossil fuel-friendly in new energy plan…

December 16, 2025

They’re sticking with green, even when the light is flashing red.

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s growing embrace of fossil fuels grew tighter as a prominent state board approved an “all of the above” approach to powering the Empire State — while still spewing lip service to costly green initiatives.

The plan by the State Energy Planning Board comes as Hochul increasingly slow-walks the state’s controversial 2019 climate law while voters grow frustrated over rising energy costs.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has increasing slow walked green mandates. Twitter/GovKathyHochul

Hochul, in a letter accompanying the plan, argued New York needed to readjust its carbon-free approach — especially potentially catastrophic recent energy shortages.

“I will not risk rolling blackouts or gas outages. This Plan reflects that urgency,” she wrote, before blaming shifting economic and political headwinds for making threatening green goals.

“We also have to be honest: the world has changed since many of our climate goals were set. Supply chain shortages, post-pandemic inflation, and shifting federal policy away from renewable energy have increased project costs and slowed progress nationally. Ignoring these realities would not make us more ambitious, it would make us irresponsible.”

The state’s landmark climate law aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 85% by 2050 through phasing out fossil-fuel burning vehicles and power plants — and requires 100% zero emissions for energy generation by 2040.

Critics have argued the state’s climate law could potentially cripple energy supply. Getty Images

But critics have argued such an approach would potentially cripple the state’s economy and energy supply, at least in the near-term.

The energy plan drew cheers from those critics for acknowledging the goals aren’t feasible, although they argued Hochul still needs to change the law.

“The fact of the matter is the Democrats in Albany green energy mandates and march to full electrification of the grid are totally designed to dismantle the affordable and reliable natural gas infrastructure, supply and delivery system,” said Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R-Corning).

“It’s designed to take away consumer choice on how you heat your home, cook your food, power your building and the vehicle you drive. It will jeopardize the reliability of our grid leading to dangerous and deadly blackouts and it will continue our nation-leading outmigration of more families and businesses leaving our state.”

New York’s energy grid is coming under increasing strain. Christopher Sadowski

Hochul has steadily walked back parts of the climate law, to the growing chagrin of climate change-fighting environmentalists.

She delayed a controversial “cap and invest” program last year that critics warned would send gas and home-heating oil prices soaring.

Last month, Hochul greenlit a controversial, President Trump-backed natural-gas pipeline off the Big Apple’s coast and stalled a gas stove ban for newly built homes.

The new plan largely avoids giving details and maintains the state is still on track to meet growing electricity demand — an assessment not shared by Emilie Nelson, the executive vice president of the New York Independent System Operator, which runs the state’s grid.

Nelson, in a New York Daily New op-ed Monday, said the state’s electric grid strained under high demand this summer. She wrote outages could be a risk in future hot weather.

“This is not a call to abandon our state’s climate goals. It is a call to balance them with the urgent need for reliability, certainty and resilience,” Nelson wrote.

“The grid must be both clean and dependable. Safe and flexible. We cannot afford to choose one at the expense of the other. Issues of health and safety and supporting the economy and environment are paramount.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul grilling hamburgers.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has increasing slow walked green mandates. Twitter/GovKathyHochul
General view of the nuclear power plant Indian Point on April 30, 2021 seen from Tomkins Cove, New York. After a decades-long dispute to close the plant, the Indian Point nuclear plant will power down tonight after the plant's operator reached an agreement in 2017 with the Cuomo administration.
Critics have argued the state’s climate law could potentially cripple energy supply. Getty Images
A general view of an electricity substation or power substation in Fair Lawn, NJ on July 13, 2025.
New York’s energy grid is coming under increasing strain. Christopher Sadowski

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