Another Voice: NY HEAT Act is the right move for consumers today

Rev. Dr. Majadi Baruti & Allison Considine

National Fuel Gas CEO David Bauer’s recent opinion piece attacking the NY HEAT Act is riddled with misinformation designed to protect the financial interests of gas utilities, rather than the pocketbooks of everyday New Yorkers.

Let’s be clear: the NY HEAT Act is not a costly government mandate. It  will save New Yorkers money and protect them from volatile energy prices.

Since NFG’s entire business model relies on the continued use of an outdated and costly infrastructure system, the CEO wants you to believe that NY HEAT will take away your gas service and saddle you with the costs. The bill enables an all-of-the above energy strategy that allows utilities to invest in the most affordable, safest option for heating and cooling, rather than mandating that old gas pipes be replaced when it’s not the cheapest option.

For decades, utilities have operated the gas system by distributing costs across their customer base. The gas system continued to expand and utilities kept costs low by charging more customers for the construction and maintenance of gas pipes.

But the gas system’s expansion is slowing down, and more New Yorkers are electrifying their homes. In 2024, electric heat pumps outsold gas furnaces for the third consecutive year. As this trend continues, utility bills for those remaining on the gas system will only increase. The rate hikes we’re experiencing are in large part driven by the incredibly high cost of replacing old and outdated sections of the gas system − an estimated $6 million per mile − spread across fewer customers.

Instead of continuing to pour billions into replacing a system New Yorkers are transitioning away from, utilities can redirect spending into neighborhood-scale electrification, spreading costs the same way they always have. Following an extensive and transparent planning process, utilities will pay for electrifying entire neighborhoods so costs aren’t borne by individual homeowners. Let’s be clear: NY HEAT specifically guarantees that your safe and reliable utility service will not be compromised, and all customers transitioning from the gas system will have the funding and technical support needed.

NY HEAT lays the groundwork for a managed, equitable transition so that as more homes inevitably stop using gas, the remaining gas customers aren’t left footing skyrocketing bills. It also helps us transition away from energy sources that are inherently unpredictable, vulnerable to geopolitical conflicts and supply shortages. Electric heating solutions, such as heat pumps, are far more efficient and have proven to be safer than gas furnaces, cutting household energy use and insulating consumers from price spikes.

We can either continue subsidizing a gas utility model that makes home heating more expensive, or we can transition to a modern, reliable system that protects consumers from price shocks, slashes long-term costs and moves us towards a safer environment.

New Yorkers shouldn’t be fooled by scare tactics from fossil-fuel executives, who benefit through higher earnings for their shareholders by keeping us on the gas system. The answer is clear. NY HEAT is the right choice for our wallets, our health and our future.

The Rev. Dr. Majadi Baruti is climate justice organizer at PUSH Buffalo and Allison Considine is New York senior campaigns manager at Building Decarbonization Coalition.