ALBANY, N.Y. (WETM) — Assembly Republicans are joining Multiple Intervenors, New York’s largest energy consumers representative, and more than 70 state organizations calling for a fiscal impact study to guide the Climate Action Council’s (CAC) development plan.

The CAC has been tasked with implementing the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). For certain lawmakers, they are referring to this Act as New York’s “Green New Deal”.

In 2019, New York passed this Act to “empower every New Yorker to fight climate change at home, at work, and in their communities”.

According to State Republicans, “This council has been empowered to radically change the way electricity is generated in New York state and threatens the reliability and affordability of utility services.”

A letter from members of the Assembly Minority Conference to the CAC is available here.

Assemblyman Phil Palmesano, (R,C, I – Corning) 132nd Assembly District, said a cost-benefit analysis is necessary so taxpayers can see what they are paying for.

“Converting people’s homes and businesses from natural gas and other fossil fuel sources to electric… that is an expensive proposition,” said Palmesano. “When I think of [our] energy policy, I think of it like a three-legged stool. Yes, it should be clean and renewable. That is an important part of what the energy portfolio should be, but it should also be affordable and reliable.”

Palmesano said New York has to ramp up its storage capacity from solar and wind energy and that will take a long period of time.

He also takes issue with this bill only impacting New York State.

“It does not affect Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, or any of those states,” said Palmesano. “New York only contributes 0.5% of the total global emissions and New York only contributes 3.3% of the total carbon emissions in the United States. So I just think you need a balanced portfolio.”

Nearly 70 signatories demonstrated their support in a letter urging such an analysis immediately be conducted before wholesale changes are made that severely damage the state’s energy grid and economy.

The letter drafted by National Fuel and the Independent Power Producers of New York is available here.