September 22, 2026 — The UpgradeNY collaboration made the following statement in response to Governor Hochul’s Climate Week announcement:  

“We thank the Governor for allocating an additional $150 million to support building thermal energy networks across the state. These projects, once under construction, will drive down the cost of energy, create thousands of family-sustaining jobs, and expand New Yorker’s access to healthy and comfortable buildings. 

We urge the Public Service Commission to advance utility pilots to construction following this news. These long-awaited projects will demonstrate the effectiveness of neighborhood-scale decarbonization while maintaining an affordable and abundant energy grid. New York’s union workers stand ready to get shovels in the ground on these projects and deliver real benefits to their communities.” 

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About UpgradeNY

The UpgradeNY collaboration works together to advocate for affordable solutions to decarbonize New York’s buildings while creating a strong foundation for good-paying union jobs. Members include Building Decarbonization Coalition, New York League of Conservation Voters, New York State AFL-CIO, ALIGN, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, New York State Building and Construction Trades Council, Sierra Club’s Atlantic Chapter, Climate Jobs NY, and Alliance for a Green Economy (AGREE). Learn more at upgradeny.org.