Assemblyman Matt Simpson joined Senate and Assembly Minority lawmakers in Albany on Mar. 4 to highlight concerns about the financial impact of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) on New Yorkers. The group pointed to a recent memo from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), which projects significant increases in household energy costs if current policies remain unchanged.
The issue is important because many residents could face higher utility bills, with upstate households that rely on oil and natural gas potentially seeing annual increases of more than $4,100, while some natural gas households elsewhere in the state could see costs rise by about $2,300. Gasoline prices may also increase by over $2.23 per gallon by 2031 without policy adjustments, according to NYSERDA’s analysis.
Minority members have repeatedly raised concerns about the CLCPA’s timelines and lack of affordability protections. They argue that these factors threaten both energy reliability and grid stability for families across the state. Simpson said, “For years, the Minority has been warning that the CLCPA’s aggressive mandates and inflexible timelines would lead to exactly this outcome. We have dramatically higher energy costs that hit working families hardest. Now, even NYSERDA’s own analysis confirms it.”
Simpson further stated, “While the environmental goals may be admirable, the solutions cannot be worse than the problems they aim to fix. New York already leads the nation in out-migration, largely because of our state’s ongoing affordability crisis. Forcing New Yorkers to shoulder the tab for these policy shortcomings through skyrocketing utility bills is simply unacceptable and unsustainable.”
Simpson has a background in community service through volunteer work and public service roles focused on economic projects and advocacy for state parks according to his official biography. He was elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020 after serving on the Horicon Town Board beginning in 2011 according to his official biography. Simpson grew up in the North Country according to his official biography.
He has served as chair of Public Works and Personnel committees on the Warren County Board as well as president of the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages as outlined in his official biography. Simpson has also contributed to community betterment by prioritizing constituent interests and supporting law enforcement resources as noted in his official biography, holding positions on both local boards as described in his official biography.
Lawmakers say they will continue pushing for reforms aimed at balancing environmental goals with affordability for all residents.
