New York is putting nearly $1 billion into programs aimed at lowering energy costs, expanding renewable power and helping communities respond to climate change.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the second installment of the state’s Sustainable Future Program Tuesday during Climate Week. The investment includes funding for home energy upgrades, schools, farms, renewable energy and public lands.
For New Yorkers who qualify, $150 million will support the EmPower+ program, which provides no-cost home energy assessments, efficiency improvements and heat pump installations for low- and moderate-income households.
Another $150 million will go toward energy-efficient improvements in affordable housing. The state says the money includes funding to address gaps in federal weatherization programs as well as support for all-electric multifamily housing.
Schools are also part of the plan. The state is putting $50 million into its Clean Green Schools Program to reduce carbon emissions and improve indoor air quality in under-resourced public schools.
Hochul said the goal is to make the transition to cleaner energy more affordable.
“Our smart approach to sustainability will help lower home heating costs for more New Yorkers, increase statewide energy supply, and create good jobs,” Hochul said.
The investment also includes $200 million to expand the NY-Sun solar program, which provides incentives for solar projects at homes, multifamily buildings, businesses and municipalities.
For agriculture and rural communities, the state is allocating $25 million for climate-resilient farming and urban forestry. The funding will support farmers using soil-health and methane-reduction technologies, while additional money will go toward expanding tree canopies and restoring state forests.
Another $25 million will support state forests, parks and public lands, including repairs to campgrounds, trails, pools and other recreational facilities.
Katherine Nadeau, deputy executive director of Environmental Advocates New York, said, “We’re very excited about how the program will help folks with their energy bills while actually building the projects and systems we need to ratchet down climate pollution.”
The announcement comes as New York also begins a new approach to planning for future energy demand.
The state’s Energy Infrastructure Development Plan is intended to guide investments in the electric grid as demand grows from manufacturing, electrification and artificial intelligence. An interim plan is expected in 2027, followed by a comprehensive plan by the end of 2029.
The programs are part of Hochul’s broader CHARGE agenda, which the governor says is focused on lowering energy costs, expanding clean energy and modernizing New York’s aging grid.