Aaaaaand Gov. Hochul Announces Elimination Of 2030 GHG Target From State's Climate Law

[OKIsItJustMe]

7. Political realities

NY’s climate goals were set by Hochul's predecessor “Disgraced Former Governor" Andrew Cuomo. Our independent grid operator, NYISO warned us years ago, that we had done a great job of shutting down coal plants, but we were not replacing them fast enough with clean alternatives. Hochul has caught a fair deal of flack from “progressives" for passing a plan that included new “advanced nuclear” energy (SMR’s and/or nuclear fusion.)

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-directs-new-york-power-authority-develop-zero-emission-advanced-nuclear-energy

JUNE 23, 2025
Albany, NY
Governor Hochul Directs New York Power Authority to Develop a Zero-Emission Advanced Nuclear Energy Technology Power Plant

Governor Kathy Hochul today directed the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to develop and construct a zero-emission advanced nuclear power plant in Upstate New York to support a reliable and affordable electric grid, while providing the necessary zero-emission electricity to achieve a clean energy economy. This builds on other opportunities announced in Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State to catalyze nuclear energy development in New York.

“As New York State electrifies its economy, deactivates aging fossil fuel power generation and continues to attract large manufacturers that create good-paying jobs, we must embrace an energy policy of abundance that centers on energy independence and supply chain security to ensure New York controls its energy future,” Governor Hochul said. “This is the second time during my administration that I am calling on the New York Power Authority to lead a critical energy initiative, and just as it is doing with the expedited buildout of renewable energy and transmission, it will now safely and rapidly deploy clean, reliable nuclear power for the benefit of all New Yorkers.”

As a result of economic growth and fossil fuel power plant retirements, New York needs new, clean electricity resources to meet growing power demand from new industrial development, building electrification and electric vehicles. The advanced nuclear plant will complement New York’s ongoing deployment of renewable energy by adding zero-emission baseload power, providing reliable and affordable clean energy to advance the State’s goal to achieve a clean energy economy.

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NYPA will immediately begin evaluation of technologies, business models, and locations for this first nuclear power plant and will secure the key partnerships needed for the project. This process will include site and technology feasibility assessments as well as consideration of financing options, in coordination with the forthcoming studies included in the master plan for Responsible Advanced Nuclear Development in New York, led by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and DPS. Candidate locations will be assessed for suitability based on public safety, strength of community support, compatibility with existing infrastructure, as well as skilled labor and land availability.

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https://riverheadlocal.com/2025/06/29/hochuls-nuclear-plant-announcement-draws-sharp-criticism-from-nuclear-energy-opponents/

Hochul’s nuclear plant announcement draws sharp criticism from nuclear energy opponents

By Karl Grossman
Jun 29, 2025, 7:39 am
Governor Kathy Hochul continued her push for nuclear power in New York State by announcing on June 21 that she has “directed the New York Power Authority” to “develop a new nuclear facility” to be built “upstate” and, as the heading of her announcement said, be the “First New Nuclear Power Construction in New York State in a Generation.”

Her move was criticized by safe-energy and climate activists and participants in the decades-long battle against nuclear power on Long Island. For years, the Long Island Lighting Company sought to build seven to eleven nuclear power plants. The Shoreham plant was the first constructed, but was stopped from going into operation, with grassroots action playing a pivotal role in blocking it.

A key claim by Hochul in her announcement was that nuclear power provides “zero-emission” energy in terms of emitting carbon that causes climate change. However, as emphasized in a statement by a coalition of organizations — including Don’t Waste NY and the Green Education and Legal Fund— this ignores the nuclear power life cycle.

“Despite the spin from the governor and industry, nuclear is far from ‘carbon free’ with significant carbon emissions during the construction of plants, the mining, processing and transportation of the fuel, and the storage of long-lived waste,” they said.

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It will be years before any "advanced nuclear" plant will be on-line. In the meantime, NYS is importing a lot of electricity, which may not be all that clean.

While currently leading her virtually unknown Republican opponent, Blakeman, she’s “underwater” on her favorability ratings in “the polls.” To make it clear what she’s up against, Lee Zelden (the administration bozo currently leading the EPA) ran against her four years ago, and came too close for comfort.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/25/zeldin-gop-new-york-hochul-00842719

4 years after Zeldin’s near win, New York GOP still can’t break through
The Nassau County executive is mounting an increasingly uphill bid against Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.

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Blakeman’s team has hammered Hochul over skyrocketing utility bills. He’s blasted the state’s high tax climate and warned the governor will acquiesce to demands from left-leaning Democrats like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to hike taxes on corporations and wealthy people. On that front, he has moved to attach the governor to the mayor’s lefty proposals, like a far-fetched move to significantly lower the inheritance tax threshold from $7.3 million to $750,000. Such a change would make the tax apply to a broad swath of middle-income people.

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The governor has moved to build up the political infrastructure of the state Democratic Committee — an apparatus that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo let atrophy during his decade in office. She has used the committee as a fundraising vehicle and, this month, the party announced it would launch a sustained advertising blitz against Blakeman, spending more than $1 million to hammer him over his support for Trump.

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Our beloved leader has a lot of voters upstate, and a lot “upstaters” weren’t happy about the idea of building a nuclear plant in their “back yard” to power New York City.

https://sri.siena.edu/2026/05/05/hochul-favorability-approval-ratings-each-drop-8-points-to-lowest-levels-in-last-year-her-lead-over-blakeman-grows-3-points-to-49-33/

Hochul Favorability & Approval Ratings Each Drop 8 Points To Lowest Levels In Last Year; Her Lead Over Blakeman Grows 3 Points to 49-33%

Loudonville, NY. Governor Kathy Hochul has a 41-46% favorability rating, down from 45-42% in March, her lowest favorability rating since June 2025. Her job approval rating stands at 48-44%, down from 52-40% in March, her lowest job approval rating since April 2025. At the same time, Hochul’s lead over Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman edged up three points to 49-33%, from 47-34% in March, according to a new Siena Poll of New York State registered voters released today.

Voters say, 49-32%, New York’s best days are still ahead, rather than behind us, and 7% say New York’s best days are taking place now. When it comes to New York’s $260+ billion budget and the money going to health care, education, infrastructure, and other programs, a plurality of voters, 36%, says the state does not spend enough, compared to 29% who say the spends the right amount, and 22% who say the state spends too much.

“Is it the late state budget? Is it something the Governor has said or done? Hard to say, but either way, Hochul heads into a campaign – with an election 26 weeks from today – with her lowest favorability and job approval ratings in about a year,” Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said. “Both Hochul’s favorability and approval ratings fell the most in the last month with independents, men and voters from New York City. While she continues to be in positive territory on both measures in New York City, she has fallen even deeper underwater with independents.

“Yet, Hochul’s lead over still-largely-unknown Blakeman – 64% of voters have never heard of or don’t have an opinion about him – has nudged up three points in the last month to 49-33%,” Greenberg said. “Six months out, voters are largely in their partisan lanes. Three-quarters of Democrats are with Hochul. Three-quarters of Republicans are with Blakeman. And independents tilt toward Blakeman by two points, down from seven points in March. Hochul leads by 34 points in New York City and by a handful of points outside of the City.”

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