Policy Impacts

Modernizing Energy Policy in New York State

Our input is helping to improve energy policy decisionmaking in New York State, which has announced a variety of ambitious plans to boost clean energy. We have submitted numerous comments to New York policymakers, suggesting several improvements to key climate and energy policies, and we have convened important conversations on these matters. State agencies have frequently adopted our suggestions, including relying on our comments in deciding to use the social cost of carbon in multiple settings, including to calculate zero-emission credit payments for existing nuclear generation resources and the environmental portion of the value stack for distributed energy resources. These decisions mark major successes in our ongoing efforts to encourage government agencies to use the social cost of greenhouse gases as a tool when designing policy. Our amicus briefs have also helped successfully defend this practice in court challenges. Policy Integrity scholarship has also encouraged the Public Service Commission to reconsider its approach to natural gas line extensions in light of the state’s statutory climate mandate, a process that remains ongoing.