As the author of the legislation that prompted the development of this program, I applaud the Public Service Commission’s approval of the consumer education and awareness campaign in Westchester County. Con Edison’s natural gas moratorium was a shock to our communities, but it’s also an opportunity to kick-start a new surge of adoption of renewables by residents, by commercial buildings, and even by government or school district buildings. This is critical work, and I’m glad to see Westchester County will be such a focal point.

I appreciate the amount of collaboration and work that NYSERDA, Con Edison, the New York Power Authority and others will engage in to raise awareness of the programs, rebates, incentives, and financing available for those who wish to switch their heating and cooking options away from fossil fuels, including natural gas.

As the consumer education and awareness campaign moves forward into the planning phase, I am particularly focused on their goal of “reaching residential sub-segments that are likely to replace existing systems.” In Westchester County, we had begun to make progress in enticing residents to convert from oil-4 and oil-6 to comparatively less polluting natural gas. Some constituents who considered themselves likely to undertake conversion projects have relayed that they found themselves with less support, less outreach, and less ability to navigate the many incentive programs for which they may qualify once the moratorium was announced. Other states have had success focusing particular rebate programs on specific demographics, making outreach to those potential customers much more targeted, and I shared a number of examples in my public comment to the PSC last month. In order to be successful, this consumer education and awareness campaign will need to present the options for particular demographics in as streamlined a manner as possible to make the options easier to understand for residents and easier to transition from awareness to action.