North Country Leader

Senator Mark Walczyk has expressed significant concerns about the financial impact of Governor Kathy Hochul's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). During a recent budget hearing, Senator Walczyk highlighted that State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli estimated the cost of implementing the CLCPA at $340 billion. When asked by Senator Walczyk if this figure was accurate, Doreen Harris, President of NYSERDA, confirmed it.

The CLCPA, often referred to as New York's "Green New Deal," is projected to be costly for residents. Senator Walczyk criticized the plan stating, "Governor Hochul is moving full steam ahead with a disastrous plan that will drive energy costs through the roof for hard-working New Yorkers." He further described it as "a financial nightmare that will burden families across our state for the next 25 years."

Senator Walczyk elaborated on the potential financial burden: “This translates to an outrageous additional charge of $7,080 per year for every man, woman, and child in New York. Over the next 25 years, this amounts to a staggering $177,000 for every New Yorker." He argued that while Governor Hochul claims she will put $5,000 back into the pockets of New York families, she is simultaneously imposing a significant financial burden.

Senator Walczyk has called for increased transparency from Governor Hochul's administration regarding this policy. He has consistently opposed the CLCPA since its proposal in 2019 and voted against it. In 2023, he demanded the removal of a gas ban from Governor Hochul’s budget and co-sponsored S1167 (Mattera), aimed at repealing what he views as a controversial "gas stove ban."