ALBANY, N.Y. — As the April 1 deadline for the state budget approaches, lawmakers, policy advocates and everyone in between are working to get their hopes and dreams across the legislative finish line.
That includes advocates for the NY Heat Act.
"The NY Heat Act is one of the most important policies that Albany could embrace during this budget season," said Liz Moran, policy advocate at Earthjustice. "The NY Heat act will both save New Yorkers money while helping the state address climate change and meet our climate law goals."
According to the bill readout, the Heat Act would give more authority over the gas industry to the Public Service Commission. The bill would impose a 6% cap for low-to-moderate customers and end ratepayer subsidies for natural gas expansion.
The eligibility of that 6% cap is at, or 80% the median household income for the county or metro area, according to the bill.
The latest census data reports that the median household income in Buffalo is $46,181 for a family, and $29,558 for an individual.
"Every provision of the NY Heat Act is an affordability provision," Moran said. "Because right now, we are subsidizing the expansion of the gas system."
But the bill does not have universal support.
The Buffalo Niagara Partnership, and dozens of commerce and trade organizations across the state, including the AFL-CIO, oppose the proposed bill.
"I don't think it's good for anything," said Senator George Borrello. "It's going to shift the burden to others in the middle class and is going to essentially raise the cost of doing business in New York State."
Senator Borrello believes, if affordability for residents is the purpose of the bill, that the state can do more to make New York more affordable.
"We can start by making it easy a less expensive place to live, everything from housing to energy to food," Borrello said. "New York State's a very expensive place to live and that's largely because of bad policy out of Albany."
2 On Your Side reached out to several natural gas companies for comment on the proposed legislation, but none were available for an interview.