In The News-New York State
NYSERDA Estimate: Climate Change Law Could Cost New Yorkers $4000 Per Year
The New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA), in a memo to the State Office of Operations, yesterday asserted that the State’s 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CPLA), if fully implemented with regulations to meet the 2030 targets, would combine to yield “high costs” to New York households and businesses. The memo was first reported by City & State New York.
Using projections based upon cap and invest modeling, NYSERDA President Doreen Harris estimated that absent changes, by 2031, “the impact of CLCPA on the price of gasoline could reach or exceed $2.23/gallon on top of current prices at that time; the cost for an MMBtu of natural gas $16.96; and comparable increases to other fuels. Upstate oil and natural gas households would see costs in excess of $4,000 a year and New York City natural gas households could anticipate annual gross costs of $2,300. Only a portion of these costs could be offset by current policy design.”
Likewise, according to Harris, similar costs should be anticipated for small and medium commercial businesses. “Depending on the utility and size of the facility, such entities could expect utility costs to increase by as much as 46%. Costs for operating a delivery truck would increase by over 60%. The ability to extend Energy-Intensive, Trade-Exposed (EITE) protections to industrial businesses would likely be muted or impossible if seeking to comply with current CLCPA targets, so high costs would also be anticipated to all sizes of manufacturing entities.”
NYSERDA cited that the targets, as adopted in 2019, could not have foreseen the reversal in federal policies, the impacts of COVID-19 and the subsequent supply chain crisis, and the return of an inflationary economy.
“Addressing this cost escalation is essential to deliver a policy that supports affordability and economic competitiveness and is necessary to ensure continued progress on decarbonization policy,” NYSERDA president Harris said.
Governor Hochul Calls on Trump Administration to Refund $13.5 Billion in Tariff Payments to New Yorkers
Governor Kathy Hochul this week called on the Trump Administration to refund the estimated $13.5 billion in tariff payments for New Yorkers, following the recent Supreme Court decision overturning the Trump tariffs. Governor Kathy Hochul today sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calling on him to immediately work with federal agencies to refund all tariff payments to New Yorkers.
Based on estimates by the Yale Budget Lab, the average New York household has faced an estimated $1,751 in added costs due to tariffs since they were enacted last year, for a total estimated $13.5 billion statewide impact.
In addition to the impact of Trump tariffs on consumers, Governor Hochul has also highlighted the impact on New York’s small businesses and particularly farmers across the state.
According to Governor Hochul, over 80 percent of agrochemical imports and 70 percent of farm machinery imports come from countries facing tariffs of 10 percent or more. Farms statewide face higher expenses for fertilizer and equipment, with some farmers indicating that their businesses face increases up to $20,000 annually, while milk exports have fallen 7 percent.
As part of her 2026 State of the State, the Governor proposed $30 million in tariff relief to help support impacted farmers across the state. Even with the recent Supreme Court ruling overturning the tariffs, farmers across New York facing higher equipment and supply costs. This plan will deliver direct payments to New York specialty crop growers, livestock producers, dairy farmers, and aquaculture farmers.
In The News-New York City
Mayor Mamdani Meets with President Donald Trump to Advance Federal Investment in Affordable Housing
New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani yesterday met with President Donald Trump to propose an investment in affordable housing at Sunnyside Yard, home to the busiest rail yard in North America.
The discussion between President Trump and Mayor Mamdani centered around the Mayor’s proposal to secure more than $21 billion in federal grants to construct the world’s largest deck over Sunnyside York. The deck construction will allow the City to build 12,000 new affordable homes, including 6,000 new Mitchell-Lama-style homes; create 30,000 good-paying union jobs; and deliver new parks, schools, and health care clinics.
“To meet this moment, we need a true federal partner prepared to invest boldly and act urgently. I appreciated the opportunity to speak directly with President Trump about building more housing in any single project than our city has seen since 1973,” Mayor Mamdani said in a statement.
According to the Mayor, both parties agreed to continue discussions in the weeks ahead.
Speaker Menin and Council Member Salaam Hold Interfaith Rally to Combat Hate and Protect Safe Access to Houses of Worship and Schools
New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Council Member Yusef Salaam, Chair of the Committee to Combat Hate, held an interfaith rally this week with elected officials, faith leaders, educators, and advocates from across New York City at City Hall ahead of a Council hearing on a package of bills aimed at combatting antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Christian hate, and protecting New Yorkers’ access to houses of worship and schools.
The hearing comes amid a continued rise in antisemitic incidents and other hate crimes across the city and nation, Speaker Menin explained.
The legislative package includes:
- Introduction 1-A, sponsored by Speaker Julie Menin, would require the NYPD to develop and publish a response plan for when there are credible concerns of injury, intimidation, or restriction of movement that prevent access to houses of worship.
- Introduction 22, sponsored by Majority Leader Shaun Abreu, requires the Department of Education to distribute materials to students about the risks of social media and online hate.
- Introduction 165, sponsored by Council Member Eric Dinowitz, would require the NYPD to report on the status of hate crime cases to improve transparency and accountability.
- Introduction 175-A, sponsored by Council Member Eric Dinowitz, would require the NYPD to develop and publish a response plan for when there are credible concerns of injury, intimidation, or restriction of movement that prevent access to schools.
- Introduction 297, sponsored by Council Member Virginia Maloney, would require emergency planning for religious institutions.
- Introduction 327, sponsored by Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, would reimburse nonpublic schools for the cost of video surveillance cameras.
- Introduction 388, sponsored by Council Member Lincoln Restler, would establish a hotline and detailed reporting system for antisemitism and other hate- and bias-related incidents.
The bills will go through the Council’s legislative process. The Committee to Combat Hate will hear testimony from administration officials, civil rights advocates, faith leaders, and members of the public, and the Council will continue to work with stakeholders, the Law Department, the NYPD, and the Mayor’s Office as the proposals move forward.
“Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe and respected in their place of worship and their neighborhood,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. “Our strength comes from our diversity, and we will never allow fear or prejudice to divide us. I commend Speaker Menin and the City Council for working to protect people of every faith in our city. My office will continue to protect the rights and dignity of New Yorkers and take action whenever hate or bias threatens them.”
Bills Approved by the City Council
Introduction 2-B, sponsored by Speaker Julie Menin, limits the term of any emergency contract to 90 days, unless a prior approval is offered by the City Comptroller and Corporation Counsel for a longer period.
Introduction 203-A, sponsored by Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, requires the Department of Education (DOE) to report quarterly on invoices received from early childhood care and education providers that the DOE has contracted with to provide these services.
Introduction 291-A, sponsored by Council Member Farah N. Louis, requires the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to regularly report on deaths by suicide in New York City and on suicide-related behaviors among youth.
Introduction 448-B, sponsored by Council Member Althea Stevens, implements a two-term limit for members of the New York City Youth Board and reduces the maximum number of board members from 28 to 20, with each borough receiving representation on the Board.
Introduction 257-A, sponsored by Council Member Rita C. Joseph, would modify the existing Open Streets program to permit community organizations to request special activation opportunities, which are days and times the Open Street may be operated in addition to their regular hours of operation. These special activation opportunities may include Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Halloween, or other time periods where there is significant pedestrian traffic.
Briefs
Governor Hochul Announces Appointment of John Kagia as Acting Executive Director of Office of Cannabis Management
Governor Kathy Hochul this week appointed John Kagia to serve as Acting Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). He will serve as Acting Director until confirmed by the Senate.
Kagia previously served as the Director of Policy at OCM where he led the team responsible for policy development and implementation for the medical, adult use and cannabinoid hemp programs, and managed the development of research systems in New York.
NYS Department of Financial Services Releases Buy Now, Pay Later
The State Department of Financial Services this week published proposed rules to protect New Yorkers using Buy Now, Pay Later financing options.
The regulations put into practice the law signed by Governor Hochul as a part of her FY26 Budget, establishing a licensing and supervision framework for Buy Now, Pay Later loan providers, including:
- Establishing a licensing and supervision framework for any entities engaged in Buy Now, Pay Later activity in New York;
- Prohibiting excessive fees, including convenience charges, and limiting late fees and other types of penalty fees;
- Requiring lenders to make clear to New Yorkers if loans will be reported to credit reporting agencies;
- Establishing rules for timely resolution of consumer disputes; and
- Protecting consumer data from misuse or exploitation.
Governor Hochul Deploys Snow Removal Assets to Massachusetts to Support Winter Storm Response
Governor Hochul this week deployed snow removal personnel and equipment to Massachusetts to support the state’s winter storm response as a blizzard brought more than two feet of snow to areas across the southeastern region of the commonwealth.
The New York State Thruway Authority, New York State Department of Transportation and the New York Power Authority are providing the equipment in response to a request for assistance. Snow removal operations across New York State remain underway and personnel or equipment remain readily available for localities statewide if needed.
According to the Governor, this assistance was primarily deployed as part of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), the nation’s all-hazards national mutual aid system. EMAC has been ratified by the U.S. Congress (PL 104-321) and is law in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands. EMAC’s members can share resources from all disciplines, protect personnel who deploy and be reimbursed for mission-related costs.
Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark Schroeder to Retire
Governor Kathy Hochul yesterday announced that DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder will be retiring after more than seven years of service in that role. Commissioner Schroeder’s last day will be April 30.
Prior to serving in these roles, Commissioner Schroeder previously served as the comptroller for the city of Buffalo from January 2012 to his appointment at the DMV. He was previously elected as a member of the New York State Assembly and the Erie County Legislature.
First nominated to the role in January 2019, Commissioner Schroeder has led the agency through many significant changes, most recently the overhaul of the department’s outdated operating systems.
“When I first took this role, the DMV was the butt of jokes,” Commissioner Schroeder explained. “People would tell me they dreaded visits to our offices, how long they would take and how often they would have to come back because they didn’t have the right paperwork. I made it my mission to change that. Perceptions can take a long time to turn around, but I think we have been steadily effective in changing minds.”
Under Commissioner Schroeder’s leadership, the DMV adopted a new vision statement—to shatter perceptions of the DMV.
In addition to the technological advancements of the Department, under Commissioner Schroeder, the DMV established a reservation system and took additional steps to streamline visits, leading to record low customer wait times. The department streamlined its phone lines, added callback features and deployed state-of-the-art self-service options to serve customers better and faster.
Mamdani Administration Appointments
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani continued to build his administration team this the appointments of Erin Dalton as Commissioner of New York City Department of Social Services (DSS) and Sideya Sherman as Chair of the City Planning Commission (CPC) and Director of the Department of City Planning (DCP).
Dalton most recently served as the Director of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS), where she led one of the “nation’s most innovative and integrated human services systems.”
Under her leadership, the department drove measurable progress in crisis response and homelessness, including building a coordinated winter shelter network that reduced the number of people living outdoors by nearly 98%. She also led large-scale reforms across behavioral health and community safety systems, redesigning the county’s mobile crisis response system, deploying behavioral health professionals to respond to human service 911 calls, expanding medication-assisted treatment in the jail and advancing violence prevention efforts. During her tenure, violent crime declined by nearly 20%, and incarceration rates fell by almost 10%.
Previously, Dalton directed DHS’s analytics, planning and information technology functions, earning national recognition for pioneering ethical uses of integrated data systems to improve outcomes and reduce racial disparities in decision-making.
Sherman served as New York City’s first Chief Equity Officer and Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice, where she led citywide efforts to embed equity in policy and practice across government. She previously served as Executive Director of the NYC Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity, coordinating cross-agency strategies to direct resources to communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, at NYCHA, Sherman served as Executive Vice President for community engagement.
A lifelong New Yorker, Sherman holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Utica College and a Master of Science in Urban Affairs from Hunter College.
Port Authority to Test Self-Driving Shuttle Buses at Newark Airport
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey this week announced that it is partnering with three autonomous vehicle technology companies to test electric self-driving shuttles at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) throughout spring 2026.
The agency is evaluating options to provide automated connections between EWR’s existing facilities and the new AirTrain Newark system currently under construction. The new AirTrain Newark is scheduled to open in 2030, and planning is underway for a future Terminal B that will be located adjacent to a future AirTrain station.
Zero-emissions vehicles from each firm will be tested separately in an area of the airport that is not publicly accessible during two-week periods. The tests are designed to simulate a high-capacity shuttle network with multiple vehicles operating simultaneously in a complex airport environment. Oceaneering will be tested in March, Ohmio in late March and Glydways in May. The tests are intended to qualify participating firms to respond to a formal Port Authority request for proposals, which may be issued in 2027.
“Autonomous vehicles are in use around the world and around the country, and they are part of the modern travel experience whether in a private car, a for-hire vehicle or on public transit,” said Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia. “We are building a new Newark Liberty that meets the demands of the next generation of travel, so we must embrace a future that is inclusive of all the different ways we can move this region.”
9/11 Solidarity Network Helps Claimants Obtain Vital Documentation for 9/11 Compensation Fund Claims
It is becoming increasingly difficult for some claimants to find documents to prove their presence at an eligible location so many years after the attacks. In fact, last year, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) went to the State Legislature for assistance in verifying its members’ 9/11 service. On September 10th, Governor Kathy Hochul signed chapter 390 of the Laws of 2025 which establishes a presumption that a New York City Police Pension Fund member participated in the rescue, recovery, and clean-up operations at the World Trade Center, unless their employer proves the contrary by competent evidence.
The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) understands this challenge and encourages individuals who were present in the exposure zone to gather and save their proof of presence documents now, even if they aren’t currently ill or planning to file a claim.
To help members of the general public verify their 9/11 service, Pitta Bishop & Del Giorno LLC’s affiliate Pitta & Baione LLP is developing the 9/11 Solidarity Network, a system where members can act as witnesses for one another in verifying 9/11 service. The network utilizes sworn Witness Presence Statements from people who can attest to a claimant’s presence which are accepted as secondary evidence by the VCF when primary documentation is unavailable.
By participating, individuals can provide the crucial testimony a fellow member might need while also securing potential support for their own future claims. This initiative formalizes the collective memory of its members to help ensure no one is left to prove their presence alone.
For more information regarding the 9/11 Solidarity Network, please contact Pitta & Baione at 844-901-1262.
Coming Up
New York State
Wednesday, March 4th
Joint Public Hearing: Topic – Current Patterns in White-Collar Crime and Fraud, and Possible Updates to Laws Protecting New Yorkers and Markets,
Legislative Office Building – Hearing Room B – Albany, 9:30 a.m.
Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee Meeting, 124 Capital Building, 12 p.m.
Senate Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business Committee Meeting,
815 Legislative Office Building, 12 p.m.
Senate Ethics and Internal Governance Committee Meeting, 510 Legislative Office Building, 12 p.m.
New York State Senate Session, Senate Chamber – Capital Building, 3 p.m.
New York State Assembly Session, Assembly Chamber – Capital Building, 2 p.m.
Thursday, March 5th
Senate Finance Committee Meeting, 124 Capital, 9 a.m.
Senate Judiciary Committee Meeting, 124 Capital, 9:30 a.m.
Senate Alcoholism & Substance Use Disorders Committee Meeting, 813 Legislative Office Building, 9:30 a.m.
New York State Assembly Session, Assembly Chamber – Capitol Building
New York State Senate Session, Senate Chamber – Capitol Building, 11 a.m.
New York City
Monday, March 2nd
Committee on Technology, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 2, 10 a.m.
Committee on Hospitals, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 1, 10 a.m.
Subcommittee on Early Childhood Education, Council Chambers – City Hall, 10 a.m.
Committee on Rules, Privileges, Elections, Standards and Ethics,
250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 3, 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 3rd
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 1, 10 a.m.
Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Sitings, Resiliency and Dispositions,
250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 3, 11 a.m.
Wednesday, March 4th
Committee on Parks and Recreation, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 1, 10 a.m.
Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use,
250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 2, 10 a.m.
Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 3, 11 a.m.
Committee on Women and Gender Equity,
250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 1, 1 p.m.
Committee on Veterans, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 1, 1 p.m.
Thursday, March 5th
Committee on Criminal Justice, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 2, 10 a.m.
Committee on Oversight and Investigations,
250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 2, 10 a.m.
Committee on Health, 250 Broadway – 8th Floor – Hearing Room 1, 10 a.m.