Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R,C–Medford) stood alongside fellow lawmakers from the Assembly and Senate Minority Conferences at the state Capitol today to call attention to what he described as an “unsustainable energy cost spiral” impacting Long Island residents.

Pointing to a 47.1% increase in residential electricity prices since 2019 and mounting grid reliability concerns raised by the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), DeStefano said Albany must move away from extreme policies such as the repeal of the 100-foot rule, reassessing the approach to affordable and reliable energy.

DeStefano also cited a February 26, 2026 internal memo from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) outlining the likely costs of compliance with the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). According to the memo, absent changes to current policy, New Yorkers could face significant increases in energy costs in the coming years.

The memo estimates that by 2031 gasoline prices could increase by more than $2.23 per gallon, diesel costs could rise by $2.41 per gallon, and natural gas could increase by $16.96 per MMBtu as a result of CLCPA compliance requirements. The analysis also indicates that upstate households relying on oil or natural gas could see annual energy cost increases exceeding $4,000, while businesses could face utility cost increases of up to 46%.

“This memo confirms what families and small businesses across Long Island already know from experience, Albany’s energy policies are driving costs higher while creating uncertainty about the reliability of our grid,” DeStefano said.

“This isn’t theoretical, this is showing up in people’s mailboxes every month,” DeStefano said. “When utility bills jump nearly 50% in a few years, that’s not a minor adjustment. That’s a crisis.”

DeStefano joined his colleagues in stressing that ratepayers deserve immediate financial relief and greater accountability over how energy surcharge dollars are spent. Proposals include providing rebate checks of up to $400 for eligible residents, returning surplus clean energy funds to customers as credits on their utility bills, the expansion of the POWER UP grant program to incentivize quick build out of reliable energy, thehalting the natural gas ban and zero-emission school bus mandate and the immediate reinvestment into natural gas plants forced into retirement by Albany Majority lawmakers policies.

“The goal should be stability,” DeStefano said. “Stable supply, stable prices and a stable grid. Long Island families need predictability, not policy experiments.”