February 8, 2024
During the state budget hearings on Environmental Conservation and Energy, State Senator Tom O’Mara questioned the president of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Doreen Harris. “Manufacturers, who are permitted emitters,” O’Mara said. “Either the fee or the taxes you’re going to put on them, is going to raise those costs of goods for everybody,” O’Mara warned the NYSERDA president. When speaking to the Department of Environmental Conservation Director Basil Seggos, O’Mara talked about the Climate Action Council changes which are in the works. “Costs are going to be extraordinary,” O’Mara stated. A big problem with the discussion is whenever we ask questions about reliability and affordability, all of the sudden, you say we are climate deniers or that we don’t care about the environment.” In the video posted of the hearing, D.E.C. Director Basil Seggos did not respond to what O’Mara said.
