NY HEAT Act to Lower Utility Bills; Passed by Senate

Utility metersPhoto byJason RichardonUnsplash

The New York State Senate passed a bill that will lower the amount NY families will pay for their utility bills. Supporters are hoping the bill will be included in the final budget proposal for the State.

The HEAT act would put a cap on utility bills for low- and middle-income New Yorkers at 6% of income, saving them up to $75 a month on their utility bills. It will also remove the 100-foot rule, which forces New York families to subsidize new gas service connections, which costs some $200 million every year.

A report by coalition group called NY Renews indicates that if the full NY Home Energy Affordable Transition bill (NY HEAT Act) were passed in this year’s NYS budget, the 25% of New York residents who have high energy burdens would cut their bills by over 44% and save an average of $136 a month.

pipelinePhoto byMike BennaonUnsplash

The other purpose of the bill is to reduce or phase out gas transmission pipelines from fracking, and to redirect money for future expansion into renewable energy sources.