In her State of the State Address in January, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced her plan to move away from fossil fuels to electricity.
Localsyr.com reported that Hochul hoped to make New York a greener state with this plan.
"I’m proposing a plan to end the sale of new fossil powered heating equipment by 2030 by calling for all new construction to be zero emission starting in 2025 for small buildings and 2028 for large buildings," Hochul said in her address.
The website continued to explain that under the governor's proposal, gas lines would not be allowed in new construction. This included the use of gas stoves in new home builds.
While Hochul continued to announce the details of her plan, some voiced negative opinions.
The website said that Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente announced that he was stepping down from his eight-year service on the New York Power Authority board following Hochul's announcement of her zero-emission plan.
“The decision was a long time in coming. I’ve been obviously thinking about it for a while, just given the nature of what direction I see the state going into, in particular, the Governor’s agenda and her administration,” Picente explained.
In a letter sent to Hochul, Picente voiced his concerns with the cost of transitioning from gas to electric.
“Before those rash decisions are made—and those that are going to be that dramatic and drastic to homeowners, to businesses, to governments included—there’s got to be more discussion," Picente said. "There’s got to be more thought. There’s got to be more input.”
While Picente viewed this plan as a negative, Hochul backed her greener New York promise.
A spokesperson for the governor reinforced the importance of this plan.
“New Yorkers can’t afford inaction on climate, and we’re prioritizing reliability and wonderful affordability, most recently by providing $400 million to help pay high electric bills and help New Yorkers make their homes more efficient.”