NY Renews on End of 2025 Legislative Session
Incremental Progress as Federal Rollbacks and Climate Catastrophes Accelerate
For Immediate Release: June 18, 2025
Contact: Marie Scarles, marie@nyrenews.org, (646) 389-8429
Web: www.nyrenews.org | Instagram | Twitter | Bluesky | Facebook
New York — As New York’s 2025 legislative session came to an end, Stephan Edel, NY Renews Executive Director, released the following statement:
“The legislative session ended with a small victory in the fight to get New York off of gas—the elimination of the ‘100-foot rule’ for gas utilities, which means New Yorkers will no longer have to pay to connect new customers to the gas system. There’s no reason that New Yorkers should be subsidizing the expansion of outdated, toxic fuel infrastructure; this is one step in the right direction. We’re grateful to the lawmakers who worked overtime to pass this bill in the Senate and Assembly, and look forward to seeing it signed by the Governor this year as we look ahead to the passage of the rest of the former NY HEAT Act—now the Customer Savings and Reliability Act next session.
That said, as we face higher greenhouse gas concentrations than we’ve seen in 30 million years and an existential threat to the future of life on earth, it’s impossible to overstate the desperate need for bold action on climate. As the federal government decimates the meager progress the U.S. has made in recent years, it is up to our state leaders to pass aggressive policies and regulations to reduce the emissions and pollution that destroy our air, lungs, neighborhoods, and lives, impacting Black, brown, and low-income communities first and worst.
Until we slash greenhouse gas pollution per NY’s Climate Act and start investing billions of dollars into New York communities to clean our air, lower our energy bills, and build the green economy powered by union labor that we know is possible, our coalition members will not rest. The Governor’s Sustainable Futures Fund is a good start, but we need year-over-year funding. It’s time to release the Cap and Invest regulations and pass the Cap and Invest Guardrails Bill to secure a New York that serves the people, not billionaires and corporate polluters.”
Additional statement from NY Renews Indigenous Solidarity Director Ryan Madden on the Montaukett Reinstatement Bill:
“We are pleased that the Montaukett Reinstatement Bill (A5295 / S3308) passed easily in both houses for the 7th year in a row. The legislation will reinstate New York’s recognition of the Montaukett Indian Nation—a status that has been wrongfully denied to them since a racist court ruling over a hundred years ago. We call on Governor Hochul to finally sign the bill and end years of unjustifiable vetoes to ensure ‘social justice, sovereignty, and equality,’ as Nation Chief Robert Pharaoh has called for. There is no climate justice without Indigenous sovereignty. We support the Nation's efforts to get the recognition they deserve at last.”
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NY Renews is a coalition of nearly 400 climate, labor, youth, and community groups, and the force behind the nation’s most progressive climate law. We fight for clean energy, good jobs, and a healthier, more affordable New York. Learn more about our Fund Climate Campaign.