Last week, a coalition of New York environmental organizations urged New York’s Public Service Commission to reject a petition from a collection of business organizations to modify or suspend New York’s Renewable Energy Program established as part of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
The Commission does not have the authority to change the targets established in law by the CLPCA, namely the 70% by 2030 renewables target and the 100% by 2040 emissions-free target. Suspending the targets instead of accelerating our renewable energy production to ensure we meet them would be a major step backwards for New York State.
The filed comments highlighted the affordability crisis caused by worldwide spikes of fossil fuel prices caused by the war in the Middle East and underscored that continued investment in energy efficiency, renewable energy and a modern grid is essential to protect New Yorkers from continued price volatility.
The comments were filed in PSC Case 15-E-0302 by the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Earthjustice, Environmental Advocates of New York, Evergreen Action, Natural Resources Defense Council, New Yorkers for Clean Power, the Sierra Club, Urban Green Council, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
They respond to a Petition for Hearing to Suspend or Temporarily Modify Renewable Energy Program filed with the PSC on January 6, 2026 , pursuant to Section 66-p of the Public Service Law, to evaluate whether to temporarily suspend or modify the targets or provisions under the Renewable Energy Program established as part of the implementation of the CLCPA
“The call to suspend the state’s Renewable Energy Program is misguided and ill-timed,” said NYLCV President Julie Tighe. “When natural gas prices are on the rise, New York needs to double down on diversifying our electricity supply, not retreat to more fossil fuels.” She continued, “Today, we tell the Commission to reject this effort and instead focus on their ongoing work to deliver a cleaner, more reliable, and more affordable electricity system”
The CLCPA established criteria for when the Renewable Energy Program should be suspended, and this petition – nor the facts on the ground – demonstrate that those criteria have been met. The issues raised in the Petition are more appropriately and efficiently addressed under other existing and currently active Commission proceedings addressing reliability issues (Case 25-E-0764) and new large loads, like data centers (Case 26-E-0045).
New York State, and the Commission, must remain steadfast in its efforts to provide an affordable, clean, and reliable grid, even as the Trump Administration opposes clean energy development and illegally halts wind and solar permitting.