From: Anthony Kownack, Corning Place Communications

Subject: Weekly Articles of Interest (New York Propane Gas Association)

Date: March 29, 2024

Bill,

Below, please find a compilation of articles, issued this week, that may be of interest to you. Articles
are also hyperlinked within each headline.

Thank you,

Anthony

Weekly Articles of Interest Include:

• Hochul selects longtime New York energy official for interim LIPA post
• Senate again passed NY HEAT Act. What legislative roadblocks are ahead?
• In New York, state lawmakers eye measures to fight climate change
• Advocates say proposed state budget misses climate education

Hochul selects longtime New York energy official for interim LIPA post
Marie J. French
Politico
March 27, 2024

NEW YORK — Gov. Kathy Hochul selected an experienced New York energy official as an interim
leader for the Long Island Power Authority, to the consternation of some board members.

Hochul put forward John Rhodes, who most recently served as chief program officer at the
Department of Public Service, as acting CEO of LIPA. The board of trustees confirmed him effective
immediately in the role on Wednesday, little more than a week after longtime CEO Tom Falcone
announced his resignation.

Falcone had planned to leave in May. Board members indicated they’d gotten little advance notice
of the move and several expressed support and gratitude for Falcone’s leadership.

“This fell out of the sky overnight,” said Drew Biondo, a LIPA trustee, during Wednesday’s meeting.
“I think it's a bit presumptuous of whoever appointed this [position] — I understand it's the
governor — to assume that because you make a recommendation we're going to rubber stamp it. At
least I am not.”

Biondo voted against Rhodes’ appointment and two other board members abstained, citing similar
concerns but emphasized their positions did not represent an issue with Rhodes himself.

Why it matters: The Long Island Power Authority oversees the electric system serving the region,
although most of the day-to-day operations are outsourced through a contract with PSEG Long
Island, a subsidiary of a New Jersey energy company.

The outsourcing has led to some criticism and a push from some advocates and lawmakers for LIPA
to take over those operations to make the authority a “true” public utility.

That issue should be addressed before the end of the legislative session, said Assemblymember
Michelle Solages, a Democrat from Elmont.

“I just want to make sure that we are being smart about the energy transition on Long Island,
making sure that the new leadership understands that the cost of transition shouldn't fall solely on
the ratepayers,” she said.

Details: Falcone’s chief operating officer also announced plans to depart, potentially portending a
broader exodus.

The departures come shortly after Tracey Edwards, a former Verizon executive and member of the
state’s Public Service Commission, took over as chair of LIPA in November.

“We need to ensure that we have a steward that is going to care for us in the interim,” Edwards said
in introducing Rhodes, who was chair for some of the time she served on the PSC. “When I tell you
that he knows energy, he knows energy.”

Rhodes was a top official for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo on energy issues. Cuomo appointed him to
head up NYSERDA in 2013 and as chair of the state’s Public Service Commission in 2017.

Rhodes left New York state government in 2021, later taking on a role in the Biden administration
before returning to the Department of Public Service as chief program officer in spring 2023.

His responsibilities there included coordinating with NYPA, LIPA, Office of General Services, Office
of Temporary Disability Assistance and others.

“I have some track record,” Rhodes said in addressing the board and LIPA staff at the meeting. “I am
new here, but I know your work and I know the importance of your work and I know how rooted it
is in the professionalism of the people here, the respect that you have, the culture and the
dedication to getting it right.”

What’s next: Falcone is expected to stay on to assist with the transition. Edwards indicated a
search for a permanent CEO was planned.
Senate again passed NY HEAT Act. What legislative roadblocks are ahead?
Sara McGiff
WXXI News
March 28, 2024

The New York HEAT (Home Energy Affordable Transition) Act was passed through the Senate for
the second year in a row on Tuesday, Mar. 19. However, Democrats and Republicans are still at
odds over certain aspects of the bill that are meant to reduce the amount of fossil fuels burned in
the state — regardless of consumer choice.

State Sen. Mario Mattera (R-Smithtown) described the bill's contents as an “experiment” at a
Capitol press conference alongside other Republican members of the Senate Energy Committee.
Mattera said alternative energy options should be considered such as thermal, green hydrogen and
retooling existing power plants.

“These are good investments in our renewable energy needs that will protect workers’ careers and
not put an unnecessary burden on our ratepayers and their families,” Mattera said.

Mattera said certain mandates in the bill take away the customer's right to choose whether or not
they want to switch over from natural gas to electric. One of the policy changes is the elimination of
the 100-foot rule — which allows energy companies to put in natural gas lines for homes and
businesses with easy access free of charge.

“The cost of connecting will be borne by the customer and it’s too costly. Homeowners and
businesses will not be able to afford the construction costs,” Mattera said. “This is a total attack on
all New Yorkers.”

However, some lawmakers on the other side of the aisle believe that New York state should accept
the bill in its entirety. Assemblymember Taylor Darling (D-Hempstead) gathered with other
lawmakers and climate activists on Mar. 7 in support of the bill being included in Governor Kathy
Hochul’s 2024 executive state budget.

“Passing the NY HEAT Act is not just about fighting climate change; it's about empowering residents
to take control of their energy bills,” Darling said. “By prioritizing energy affordability and
sustainability, lawmakers can pave the way for a future where New Yorkers can save on their
monthly utility expenses while collectively combating climate change.”

The rally took place on the steps of the Nassau County Executive office in Mineola. Darling said the
act would draw oversight on utility regulation to align with New York state’s Climate Action Plan —
which emphasizes a path to a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040.

If passed, the NY HEAT Act would remove the subsidies and legality that push the expansion of gas
systems. It would also amend the Public Service Law and the Transportation Corporations Law to
ensure that state regulations align with climate justice and emission reduction mandates
established by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

Suffolk County’s average utility bill for high-burden households is $398 per month, with 25% of
homes having high energy burdens. Activists say the NY HEAT Act would lower 23% of Long Island
households to almost half of what they were paying before — a whopping $164 every month.
"The data is clear. If implemented, NY HEAT would make a significant dent on Long Island's energy
affordability crisis. A quarter of Long Islanders are highly energy burdened, and their bills would be
cut by forty percent, on average," said Juan-Pablo Velez, the executive director of Win Climate.

However, this isn’t the first time the bill has been introduced in the New York Assembly. It was
submitted to the Energy and Telecommunications Department on Jan. 18, 2023, before making its
way through the Senate and was delivered to the Assembly on Jun. 6, 2023. It stayed there for six
months before dying in the Assembly and returning to the Senate on Jan. 3, 2024.

In this year’s budget, Governor Kathy Hochul included a portion of the bill’s policy in her 2025 fiscal
budget. However, that didn’t include the 6% cap on utility costs for low or moderate-income
households to prevent utility companies from raising their rates.

This comes when the Long Island Power Authority voted to increase electric rates by 11.6% in
their 2024 budget which they attributed to the cost of fuel and power.

"The NY Heat Act will enable us to transition off of fossil fuels, reduce public health issues, ensure
that financially strapped New Yorkers' costs are capped at 6% of their income and stop the
requirement that current gas customers subsidize new customers, wasting money to prolong a
technology that, sooner rather than later, must become a relic of our past, like the horse and buggy,"
said Karen Zilber, a campaign coordinator for All Our Energy.

Lobbyists with New Yorkers for Affordable Energy say the legislation faces an uphill battle in the
state Assembly — and with Governor Kathy Hochul who has not signaled whether they would agree
on all items in the bill package.

The bill now heads to the Assembly. If approved, it will head to Gov. Hochul’s desk to become law.

In New York, state lawmakers eye measures to fight climate change

Karen DeWitt
WXXI News
March 27, 2024

A bill that would extend New York state’s ban on natural gas fracking is heading to Gov. Kathy
Hochul’s desk after the State Legislature acted recently to prohibit using liquid carbon dioxide to
extract the gas from shale rock.
It’s one of a number of measures that lawmakers are considering to combat climate change.

New York banned the hydrofracking of natural gas in 2014. Since then, a fracking process using
carbon dioxide has been pioneered in China. Many environmentalists say the process can
potentially cause earthquakes and acidify drinking water.

Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said she wants to make sure it’s not used in New York.

“As one of the first states to ban fracking, we’re once again leading the way by prioritizing the
health and well-being of our residents over short-term profits,” Stewart-Cousins said. “This is not
just a policy decision, but it's a moral decision to protect the lives of our constituents in their
communities.”
Sen. Lea Webb represents parts of the Southern Tier, including Binghamton, where the
underground shale rock contains untapped natural gas. She said over 6,000 landowners in her
district have received land leasing offers from fracking companies wanting to use liquified carbon
dioxide to extract the gas.

“There's concern that if we don't close this loophole sooner rather than later, it is going to
essentially open up the proverbial gateway for further exploration,” Webb said. “Which is also going
to be problematic.”

Both houses passed the bill earlier this month, and it next goes to Hochul. Stewart-Cousins said she
does not know if the governor is on board with the fracking ban extension because the two have not
discussed the issue.
“It is my hope that she is,” Stewart-Cousins said.

Hochul spokesperson Avi Small said the legislation has not yet been sent, but when it does, the
governor will review it.

The bill is one of several in the 2024 legislative session that addresses climate change.

A measure known as the NY HEAT Act would eliminate a policy that allows gas companies to charge
ratepayers for the cost of installing new gas lines if they are within 100 feet of a home or business.
That cost is estimated at $200 million a year. The Senate approved the legislation, and Hochul
included it in her budget plan. The HEAT Act would also cap low-income utility customers’ bills to
6% of their total earnings.

In addition, the Hochul administration is implementing the Climate Change and Community
Protection Act, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2040. It bans natural gas
hookups at newly constructed buildings beginning in in 2026, and limits appliances in new
buildings to electric only, beginning next year.

Senate Republican Leader Robert Ortt, whose party is in the minority in the Legislature, disagrees
with the measures. He said they will result in the loss of good-paying jobs in New York’s energy
industry, and higher prices.

“The bottom line is, the people who put down our infrastructure, they are going to be harmed. The
people who pay for that infrastructure are going to be harmed,” Ortt said on March 20. “Our
ratepayers are going to be harmed at a time when all we hear about is affordability.”

Ortt spoke at a news conference on the Capitol’s grand central staircase. A floor above him, anti-
climate change advocates were rallying.
New York state Sen. Jessica Ramos, D-Queens, addresses environmental advocates at a rally on
March 20 in Albany.

Sen. Jessica Ramos, a progressive Democrat, addressed that rally. She said some residents in her
East Elmhurst district in Queens drowned when unprecedented rainfall during Hurricane Ida —
which is believed to be connected to climate change — flooded their basement apartments.

She said she will be pushing to make sure the state stays on track in its goals to reduce emissions.
“The clock is ticking. And we cannot wait. We cannot wait any longer,” Ramos said. “I will not wait
for another one of my neighbors to drown.”

In addition to the other measures, Ramos backs the Climate Change Superfund Act, which would
require big oil companies to pay for damages caused by climate change. She said it could net $3
billion to the state to fund efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. She said the measure has public
support.

“This is how we want to use our taxpayer dollars,” Ramos said. “We want these companies to pay,
so that we have the funding to put shovels in the ground and update our infrastructure as our
health outcomes require.”
The Climate Superfund Act is included in the Senate’s budget proposal. The Assembly did not add it
to their budget plan but included language saying that they support the concept.

The measure is opposed by the major oil companies, who say it would be a retroactive tax.

Advocates say proposed state budget misses climate education

Finger Lakes 1
March 27, 2024

In the upcoming 2024-2025 fiscal year, New York State’s proposed $246 billion budget has
overlooked essential funding for P-12 climate education, leaving the state’s 2.5 million students
without critical learning resources on climate change. Despite the state’s heavy $50 billion spending
on climate disasters in 2023, the Climate & Resilience Education Task Force’s (CRETF) $20 million
request for climate education funding has yet to be included, with the budget deadline looming on
April 1.

Experts like Don Haas from the Paleontological Research Institution have emphasized the urgent
need for comprehensive climate change education in schools. The proposed funding aims to
support interdisciplinary climate education for all students, teacher training, and the development
of green career paths, as outlined in legislation S278A/A1559A. This initiative reflects New York’s
commitment to climate leadership, echoing the goals of the 2019 Climate Leadership and
Community Protection Act (CLCPA).

Comparisons to other states, such as New Jersey, which has already implemented K-12 climate
education standards and an Office of Climate Education, highlight New York’s lag in addressing
climate education. Emily Fano of the National Wildlife Federation illustrated the disparity by
comparing the $20 million needed for climate education to the cost of repaving 20 miles of road,
underscoring the investment’s potential impact on preparing students for a climate-altered future
and contributing to climate solutions. Advocates urge the Governor and legislature to allocate
specific funds for climate education in the budget.