NEW REPORT: CLEAN AIR INITIATIVE WILL BRING $270 ENERGY REBATES AND COST-SAVING HOME IMPROVEMENTS TO MORE THAN 6.5 MILLION NEW YORK HOUSEHOLDS

New York, NY — A new report released today by New Yorkers for Clean Air, in partnership with Spring Street Climate Fund, shows how Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed Clean Air Initiative could lead to significant cost savings for New Yorkers. The report lays out a scenario in which the program will provide nearly $270 in annual energy rebates to more than 6.5 million households, upgrade hundreds of thousands of homes with insulation and efficiency improvements to lower utility bills, and make major investments to stabilize energy costs statewide.

The report details how revenues generated by the Clean Air Initiative, a cap and invest program that would be a cornerstone of New York’s Climate Act, would be reinvested directly back into New York communities to offset rising utility costs and reduce pressure on household budgets. Over the next decade, the program is projected to generate $57.4 billion, with at least 30 percent dedicated to direct energy rebates for working- and middle-class families.

“This report makes clear that the Clean Air Initiative is first and foremost an affordability program,” said John Raskin, President of Spring Street Climate Fund. “By moving billions of dollars off utility bills and prioritizing direct rebates, the program puts money back in people’s pockets while making investments that can reduce bills for millions of New Yorkers over the long term.”

“At a time when families are feeling squeezed by rising costs, this report shows that smart climate policy can lower monthly bills while creating good-paying jobs right here in New York,” said Esther Rosario, Executive Director, Climate Jobs NY. “The Clean Air Initiative is designed to deliver meaningful and sustained economic relief for New Yorkers. This is our opportunity to create thousands of union jobs and make sure working people are leading and benefiting from the transition to clean energy.”

"New York doesn’t have to choose between affordability and climate action,” said Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters. “This analysis makes clear that ​the Clean Air Initiative can deliver real cost relief — from direct energy rebates for millions of households to efficiency upgrades that lower utility bills long term. By reinvesting in cleaner energy and modern infrastructure, this program will cut pollution while building a more affordable, resilient future for New Yorkers.”

“New York can continue its legacy of climate leadership while delivering meaningful relief from rising utility bills,” said Evergreen Action States Vice President Justin Balik. “The Clean Air Initiative can fund immediate ratepayer relief and invest in upgrades and efficiency improvements that will save even more money in the years ahead. And those savings would come alongside investments in our workforce and cleaner air for all New Yorkers. We need every tool to fight the affordability and climate crises New Yorkers are facing. It’s time to act.”

The report lays out one scenario for investing the estimated $57.4 billion the Clean Air Initiative could raise over ten years. Under this scenario, the Clean Air Initiative could deliver:

• $17 billion to fund direct energy rebates, providing nearly $270 per year to more than 6.6 million households statewide
• Hundreds of thousands of home upgrades, including insulation, weatherization, heat pumps, rooftop solar, and community solar access—cutting monthly energy bills while improving comfort, safety, air quality, and efficiency
• $3 billion to modernize aging transmission infrastructure, strengthening the grid and shifting costs off ratepayers
• $145 million to expand and improve public transit across upstate and suburban New York, helping families reduce transportation costs while improving access to jobs, schools, and essential services
• Major investments in clean school buses and healthier school buildings, reducing harmful air pollution and cutting long-term health costs for families, particularly in overburdened communities
• Strong workforce investments tied to every project, including prevailing wage requirements, project labor agreements, and expanded access to training and apprenticeship programs—ensuring affordability investments also create thousands of family-sustaining union jobs across New York

In addition to cost savings and economic benefits, prior analysis by DEC and NYSERDA demonstrates the Clean Air Initiative would slash harmful pollution, delivering up to $13 billion in annual health benefits by 2035 and preventing over 1,000 deaths and 137,000 emergency room visits from asthma.

The full report is available here.

About New Yorkers for Clean Air
New Yorkers for Clean Air is a coalition of environmental and environmental justice advocates, businesses, community-based and public health organizations, and everyday New Yorkers who believe that everyone deserves to breathe clean air and drink safe water. Together, we’re fighting for a healthier, more sustainable future for our state.

About Spring Street Climate Fund

Spring Street runs strategic, effective campaigns to win transformative climate policy that helps people in concrete ways they experience directly. Using this approach, we act as a force multiplier in the climate movement, bringing in new grassroots constituencies of New Yorkers with shared interests in what we’re hoping to achieve.

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