Senator Mario Mattera has earned a reputation as Long Island’s Affordable Energy Warrior, leading the fight against costly and unworkable energy mandates from Albany. He champions policies that protect fuel choice, keep utility costs low, and ensure New Yorkers have reliable energy.
Mattera has urged Gov. Kathy Hochul to veto the NY HEAT Act and the all-electric building mandates, warning they force families to switch entirely to electricity while New York’s power grid struggles during heat waves and winter storms. “Mandating full electrification without a reliable grid puts families at risk and drives costs even higher,” he noted.
Mattera is calling for the governor to pause or repeal the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA and approve vital energy projects such as the Northeast Supply Enhancement and Constitution natural gas pipelines. These initiatives, he says, will reduce truck traffic, create thousands of jobs, improve safety, and lower energy costs.
Mattera also advocates for a diverse energy portfolio, including natural gas, green hydrogen, carbon capture, and thermal energy recovery. He supports repealing bans on fossil fuel systems in new buildings, enhancing utility transparency, and establishing task forces to evaluate the financial impact of state energy policies.
As the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, Mattera argues that the Northeast pipeline project will increase natural gas capacity by 13%, generate $548 million in economic activity, produce $230 million in wages, and create roughly 2,000 jobs. It could save New Yorkers up to $6 billion in electricity costs over 15 years.
“Until we reassess the CLCPA strategy, these mandates will keep delivering devastating costs for ratepayers,” Mattera warned. “We need an energy policy grounded in reality.”
As Affordable Energy Warrior, Mattera continues to defend Long Island from the rising energy costs and unreliable power of the Green New Deal.