The potential reduction in funding for New York’s EmPower+ program has sparked concern among state advocates. This initiative, which plays a crucial role in assisting low-and-moderate income households with energy costs, now faces uncertainty over its future financial support.
Recently, a group of demonstrators assembled outside the Energy Research and Development Authority’s office in Albany, New York, voicing their dissatisfaction with the perceived cuts to the EmPower+ program. This program is instrumental in aiding residents with energy-saving upgrades like air sealing, heat pumps, and wiring improvements, reportedly saving households an average of $600 each year.
In a decision made in July, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) suspended contractor applications to the program until year-end. However, NYSERDA assures that customers can still choose from participating contractors while they re-evaluate the application process through forthcoming engagement sessions.
During the same meeting in July, NYSERDA officials presented a graph depicting a significant reduction in the program’s funding. Initially bolstered by state funds, the financial support is expected to decrease by approximately $140 million by 2027. Consequently, the program’s annual budget, which currently stands at $220 million, may need to be reduced to $80 million over the next two years.
Assemblymember Dana Levenberg, representing New York’s 95th District, expressed concerns about the program’s ability to support clean energy adoption without adequate funding. Levenberg emphasized, “We know that utility costs are going up and up and up, and this is a way to keep the to keep homes affordable to live in, and we know that that’s something that we need to keep doing.”
Contradicting claims of a funding cut, a NYSERDA spokesperson stated that the 2025-2026 budget includes $50 million for EmPower+, in addition to a one-time $200 million infusion from the 2023 state budget. The agency asserts that the program’s budget is based on multiple funding sources, ensuring fiscal prudence.
Levenberg, known for sponsoring climate change and energy efficiency legislation, clarified that the goal is not to seek additional funds but to maintain current funding levels of $220 million annually. “We don’t want to see roll backs to the program beyond what has it has been in place,” she noted.
Currently, the EmPower+ program offers low-income, single-family households up to $10,000 per approved project, while moderate-income families receive no-cost energy efficiency improvements capped at $5,000 per project. Eligibility is determined following a home energy assessment.
Jay Best, CEO and founder of Green Team Long Island, highlighted the economic benefits of the program. Best emphasized, “We’re putting lots of lots of people to work making these homes better. It’s workers that cannot be exported and can’t be you know, can’t be done elsewhere. It has to be done here in New York by New Yorkers, and I think it’s a really important program for us.”
Original Story at www.wxxinews.org