Today, as floods continue to devastate the tri-state area, advocates across New York State launched a push urging Governor Hochul to sign legislation to repeal the expensive and outdated “100-foot rule,” a hidden energy charge that forces working class families to pay for expanded fracked gas pipelines and corporate utility profits. The 100-foot rule is a relic of the past, and ending it is a common sense way to save New Yorkers money while helping transition us away from the fossil fuels that are supercharging deadly storms, flooding, and heat waves across the state. The Senate and Assembly delivered – now, the Governor must finish the job and sign the bill into law before this year’s Climate Week.
“Ending the 100-foot rule is a simple way for the Governor to address skyrocketing energy bills and climate disasters that are getting worse every year. This bill is a first step to ending the mandate that forces families to pay for the expansion of dirty, fracked gas pipelines we don’t need. With roads washed away and water flooding our subways, the least the Governor can do is sign this bill into law as soon as possible,” said Jessica Azulay, Executive Director of Alliance for a Green Economy.
Repealing this outdated mandate is the only significant legislation passed this year to address New York’s climate and energy affordability crises. The 100-foot rule is a hidden tax that forces families to pay for the cost of new hookups to the gas system, driving up energy bills and propping up the expansion of New York’s dirty fracked gas infrastructure. By signing this legislation, Governor Hochul can end that mandate, saving New Yorkers an estimated $200 million every year and enabling the state to transition to a cleaner, more affordable energy future.
New Yorkers cannot wait any longer. As New Yorkers face another summer of extreme, climate change-fueled weather that includes dangerous heat waves and historic floods, repealing the 100-foot rule is more urgent than ever. Between now and September 21st, the beginning of Climate Week NYC 2025, advocates and lawmakers will rally across the state to pressure Governor Hochul to side with working people who cannot afford continued inaction.
“Last winter, more than a million utility customers in New York were behind at least two months on their bills and nearly $2 billion in arrears, while more than 400,000 received shut off notices. That’s why legislation repealing the onerous and outdated ratepayer subsidy known as the “100-foot rule” is so important. It will save current customers more than $200 million and also serve as an incentive for new customers to seek cheaper clean energy alternatives,” said Senator Pete Harckham.
“People who have natural gas in their homes can see in their utility bills that gas is incredibly expensive. For the health of our planet and our pocketbooks, we must transition away from using gas as quickly as we possibly can. Ending the 100-foot rule is a small but important step in the right direction, as it will enable utility companies to stop forcing all ratepayers to subsidize the continued expansion of the gas network. I urge the Governor to sign this bill into law as soon as possible,” said Assemblymember Dana Levenberg.
“The 100-foot rule requires all ratepayers to pay for a natural gas hookup in new construction rather than the individual customer choosing gas. Utility rates have skyrocketed, driven by maintaining the existing gas system. Our state energy policy goals prioritize the use of renewable energy. Ratepayers who already pay to maintain the gas system should not have to also pay for new gas hookups. The cost of those connections should be borne by the customer choosing the new gas service line, not ratepayers. For these reasons, this bill has passed both houses of the legislature and is to be considered by the Governor,” said Assemblyman Steve Otis.
