Environmental groups continue to push for NY HEAT Act

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)--- The New York HEAT Act didn’t pass at the end of the legislative session. However, environmentalist aren’t giving up on it.

The New York HEAT Act would remove the 100-foot rule, which allows those living within 100 feet of a gas line to have natural gas hook ups.

Environmental groups support the legislation.

"It doesn’t make sense for us to continue subsisting this kind of free hook up," said Liz Moran, a New York Policy Advocate for Earth Justice. "Eliminating that subsidy would mean more savings towards New Yorker’s energy bills and helping us getting away from fossil fuels."

The bill would also protect residential customers from energy costs greater than 6% of their household income.

While the bill passed in the state Senate, lawmakers left Albany without bringing the bill to the floor of the Assembly.

A Siena Poll released last week found many New York Voters are in support of the HEAT Act.

"By a 58 to 26% margin, voters support the HEAT Act," explained pollster, Steve Greenberg.

The Business Council of New York State, however, has been vocal about its opposition. https://www.bcnys.org/20-groups-sign-letter-opposing-heat-act-legislation

A letter signed by 20 business groups last month, said while they support efforts to respond to climate change, “ it is essential that New York avoids imposing significant adverse impacts on the state’s economy, individual businesses, and residents.”

The council plans on continuing to debate the legislation in the future.

As for environmentalist, they’re hoping the bill will pass when lawmakers return to state capitol.