In response to New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s State of the State address, Evergreen Action Senior State Program Director Justin Balik released the following statement:

“For years, New York has been a national leader in climate policy—a role more important than ever as the threat of a second Trump term looms. Last session, New York joined the ranks of Washington state and California and began developing a cap-and-invest program. However, in the governor’s address today, the timing of that landmark policy appears uncertain. While Governor Hochul has advanced other critical climate protections and investments in clean energy, the funding put forward today pales in comparison to the reductions in both pollution and consumer costs the state would secure with cap-and-invest. Advancing a concrete plan and robust public engagement are not mutually exclusive. There is no cause for any delay. 

“Now is not the time to hesitate—with California on fire and Trump preparing to take office once again, we know what’s at stake. There’s still a window for New York to commit to this program in the 2025 budget and achieve the state’s CLCPA commitments. For New York’s economy, environment, and legacy, we hope the governor commits to finalizing a cap-and-invest program this year.”