Shifting politics, energy needs raise questions about NYS' ambitious climate goals

ALBANY — A lot has changed since New York enacted the most ambitious clean-energy goals in the nation six years ago.

The COVID-19 pandemic, a skyrocketing demand for electricity, the Trump administration’s effort to stop wind and solar power development and more have combined to slow New York’s shift away from fossil fuels. Gov. Kathy Hochul has acknowledged that the state cannot meet its 2030 renewable energy goals, and the independent operator of the state’s power grid has issued a reverberating warning about supply reliability over the next decade.

It’s sparked some to call for Albany, where the State Legislature reconvenes in January, to revisit the landmark Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. While its goals still enjoy support, the timetable needs adjusting, they