7 Climate Initiatives to Get AMPED About from the State of the State Address
Governor Hochul’s State of the State address proposes unprecedented commitments to green infrastructure. Here are 7 exciting initiatives from the plan and thoughts on how state-wide attention on greener buildings and cleaner vehicles can impact our region.
Here’s what we were most AMPED to hear about:
Requiring by code zero on-site greenhouse gas emissions for new buildings no later than 2027 (i.e. no gas hookups in new builds)
Mandating energy benchmarking for large buildings, making it easier to track energy-efficiency improvements over time.
Convening the finance, mortgage and banking industries to help align private capital with the goal of decarbonizing buildings.
Expanding the Clean Green Schools proposal to drive significant infrastructure upgrades, such as geothermal heating and cooling, electric school bus charging, and more, creating thousands of high-quality green jobs in disadvantaged communities statewide.
Investing $1 Billion to support Electric Vehicle adoption and infrastructure including $175 million over five years for EV charging stations.
Electrifying the state’s light-duty fleet by 2035 to match federal goals.
Requiring that all new school bus purchases will be zero-emissions by 2027, and all school buses on the road will be zero-emissions by 2035.
Read the full State of the State Book here
Why does this matter in our region?
Not one school district in our nine-county Genesee/Finger Lakes region has an electric school bus fleet — Yet! But school districts in New York City have lead the charge, and there’s a lot we can learn. We have a tremendous opportunity to advance climate goals and protect the health of our children by starting this transition.
The plan targets 800,000 of the state’s low-to-moderate income households for clean energy upgrades — upgrades which reduce exposure to air pollutants and provide climate control often lacking in low-income housing. Housing, health equity, and climate action can go hand in hand in our area!
A lack of charging infrastructure is a common barrier to electric vehicle adoption. A greater investment in charging station means even more convenience for EV owners!
Want to learn more about beneficial electrification? Connect with the AMPED project and learn what’s involved in electrifying your new or existing building. Our next webinar: Getting to Know Building Electrification Technologies is on January 20th - register today!
