New York is facing an energy reality we can no longer afford to ignore. As chairman of the State Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, I support renewable energy and environmental protection. But slogans and experiments cannot power homes, protect public safety, or keep energy bills affordable. We need realistic solutions—and abundant, clean-burning natural gas must be part of the equation.
Recent battery storage fires, including another incident in Orange County, underscore serious concerns about relying too heavily on technologies that are not ready for widespread deployment. Lithium-ion battery fires burn at extreme temperatures, cannot be easily extinguished, and put firefighters, residents, and our environment at risk. No one wants these facilities near their homes, and for good reason.
Meanwhile, New Yorkers are paying the price. Electric rates are rising dramatically, driven by overreliance on intermittent wind and solar generation paired with costly battery storage. That is not a responsible path forward.
Natural gas remains the most efficient, economical, and reliable bridge fuel available. We should be retooling existing power plants into modern combined-cycle facilities equipped with carbon capture technology. This approach dramatically reduces emissions while ensuring dependable baseload power. Carbon capture is already being used successfully across the United States and Canada. It works—and it protects both our air and water.
Projects like the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) natural gas pipeline would reduce our dependence on hundreds of LNG tanker trucks hauling fuel from Pennsylvania—each emitting pounds of CO₂ per mile on New York roads. Pipeline delivery is safer, cleaner, and far more efficient.
At the same time, Albany policies remain inconsistent. Suspending all-electric building mandates while advancing the “100-foot rule,” which forces homeowners to shoulder the cost of gas hookups, sends mixed signals and hurts working families.
New York needs balance. Renewable energy has a role, but so does domestic natural gas, thermal energy reuse, and practical innovation. Energy policy must be guided by facts, not ideology. Our residents deserve reliability, affordability, and safety—and natural gas helps deliver all three.