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New York doubles down on war on gas appliances over opposition from unions

New York doubles down on war on gas appliances over opposition from unions

Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul released her fiscal year 2025 budget which included provisions to further curb the state’s reliance on natural gas as part of her administration’s climate agenda. The governor’s proposed budget would include provisions taken directly from the NY HEAT Act, also known as the Affordable Gas Transition Act, which “supports responsible, equitable, and effective gas system transition planning,” according to her office. While Hochul’s office said the proposal wouldn’t force any resident to transition away from gas, the bill would empower state regulators to indirectly push such a transition. “The Affordable Gas Transition Act would not force any existing customers to get rid of their gas service,” a spokesperson for Hochul told Fox News Digital. “Governor Hochul continues to prioritize the health and safety of New Yorkers by reducing harmful emissions and ensuring all New Yorkers have continued access to affordable and reliable utility service.” But, if passed by the state’s legislature, Hochul’s budget would require utilities to provide incentives encouraging customers to adopt green alternatives, pushing them to discontinue existing gas service. BIDEN ADMIN BACKS OFF GAS STOVE CRACKDOWN AFTER WIDESPREAD PUSHBACK In addition, the budget would eliminate New York’s so-called “100-foot” rule which mandates that utility providers install a gas hookup for any customer whose home is located within 100 feet of an existing pipeline. The law has been the subject of intense criticism from environmentalists who argue it encourages new customers to rely on gas service rather than electricity. BIDEN ADMIN LAUNCHED AN AGGRESSIVE CAMPAIGN TARGETING HOME APPLIANCES WITH ECO REGULATIONS IN 2023 “We applaud the Governor’s inclusion of this necessary policy, which will give the Public Service Commission the authority and direction to align gas utility regulations and system planning with the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act,” Earthjustice, a left-wing climate advocacy organization, said in a statement.  “Importantly, it will eliminate the unjust 100-foot rule, which forces everyday New Yorkers to pay for the expansion of the gas system to the tune of more than $200 million every year. It also removes a mandate to provide fossil fuel to residential customers,” the group added. “This language, which obligated utilities to serve gas to residential customers, blocked the state’s transition to healthy, inexpensive heating and cooling.” Hochul’s proposal is the governor’s latest salvo in her fight to reduce the state’s overall carbon footprint, and greenhouse emissions generated from the building and residential sector in particular. Last year, she reached an agreement with the state legislature to finalize a budget mandating that all new construction of smaller buildings is zero-emissions by December 2025 and all new construction of other buildings is zero-emissions three years later. The law, which effectively initiates a ban on gas hookups in new construction, is the first statewide law of its kind. Hochul has also expanded the New York Power Authority’s control over renewable energy development and fossil fuel power shutdowns.  BIDEN ADMIN AIMS TO PUSH TOWNS, CITIES TO ADOPT GREEN ENERGY BUILDING CODES: ‘VERY SUSPICIOUS’ However, her actions have faced criticism from state Republicans, power providers and labor unions who say the state isn’t ready for such a rapid transition to green energy. Both the New York Power Authority and New York Independent System Operator warned Hochul’s plans could be detrimental to the state’s electric grid, while unions warned there isn’t a large enough green energy supply in the state yet. “We need to have enough alternative energy that is readily available and affordable across the state before proposals like the NY HEAT Act are considered. As of now, that is not the case,” Mario Cilento — the president of the New York State AFL-CIO, which represents millions of workers across 3,000 affiliated public sector, private sector and building trades unions — told Fox News Digital. “We believe the State of New York can lead by supporting the development of more clean energy generation alternatives, including transitioning to proven thermal energy networks,” he continued. “This, along with strong labor standards on construction, maintenance, operations and supply chain, will help meet the CLCPA emission reduction goals while creating good union jobs.” Overall, in 2022, more than 58% of all New York households relied on natural gas for heating while another 17% used heating oil, according to the Energy Information Administration. Additionally, 15% of households in the state were heated with electricity, the largest share of which was generated by natural gas power plants. At the same time, the buildings and residential sector produces 32% of New York’s total emissions, more than any other sector, the most recent New York Department of Environmental Conservation data showed.

Vulnerable Senate Democrat silent about Biden admin providing veteran medical resources to illegal immigrants

Vulnerable Senate Democrat silent about Biden admin providing veteran medical resources to illegal immigrants

An effort by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) process health care treatment for illegal immigrants despite a growing backlog of U.S. veterans led to uproar among several lawmakers, but one notable Democrat has been tight-lipped about the matter. So far, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., has been silent about efforts by the VA to assist with healthcare claims made by illegal immigrants who are currently held in ICE’s custody as the backlog for veterans’ claims piles up. Tester serves as chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, which has primary jurisdiction over the VA and works to address problems and issues related to veterans in the United States. The arrangement between the VA’s Financial Service Center (VA-FSC) and ICE to process claims for migrant medical care is a longstanding one that actually predates the Biden administration and was outlined in a 2020 memo during former President Donald Trump’s administration. GOP SENATOR FUMES OVER BIDEN ADMIN PROVIDING VETERAN MEDICAL RESOURCES TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS When an illegal migrant under ICE detention requires health care, they are typically treated onsite by medical professionals. However, if specialist or emergency care is required, they may be taken to an independent private provider. In such cases, ICE contracts with the VA’s Financial Service Center (VA-FSC) to process reimbursements to those providers. According to a report from July, ICE has hundreds of letters of understanding in which ICE’s Health Service Corps (IHSC) will reimburse providers at Medicare rates. That uses the VA-FSC’s Healthcare Claims Processing System, which is a portal that allows providers to submit and view claims and access other resources. The VA told Fox News Digital in December that it has had an interagency agreement with the IHSC since 2002 to provide processing, but it also noted that the department neither provides health care nor pays for it. Under the agreement with IHSC, ICE pays fees for the claims processing services rendered and covers disbursements made to pay for claims. However, the crisis at the border, with record numbers of migrants crossing into the U.S. and needing medical care, has likely worsened what one former veterans’ affairs adviser told Fox News Digital in December was a “history of a backlog of medical claims which has resulted in veterans getting bills they shouldn’t be getting, and … having dissatisfied community care providers who are not getting paid in a timely manner.” In 2013, Tester voted against an amendment offered by then-Sen. Jeff Session, R-Ala., to prevent illegal immigrants from accessing free, taxpayer-funded healthcare. That amendment, which failed in a vote of 43 to 56, would have established a “deficit-neutral reserve fund to achieve savings by prohibiting illegal immigrants or illegal immigrants granted legal status from qualifying for federally subsidized health care.” Unlike Tester, Montana’s junior senator, Republican Steve Daines, has voiced strong opposition to the Biden administration’s controversial effort to divert certain resources from the VA to process claims made by illegal immigrants. “Montana has the second-highest number of veterans per capita in the country and every day I hear stories about the deteriorating access to quality care provided by the VA,” Daines said in a statement. “According to data from the VA, at Fort Harrison VA Medical Center – Montana’s largest VA health care facility – wait times can be as long as 123 days for veterans seeking dental care and 70 days for those needing mental health care appointments.” “Additionally, there are nearly 318,221 backlogged claims nationally – which includes disability compensation and pension claims that have been received by VA that requires development and a decision by a VA claims processor – as of September 2023,” he added. “This represents a nearly 10 year high. In stark contrast, illegal immigrants in ICE facilities appear to face low barriers to accessing specialty or emergency health care. This disparity is unacceptable and dishonors Montana’s veterans who must deal with long wait times and excessive delays to see health care providers.” Daines insisted the “Biden administration created this humanitarian and national security crisis at the border” and reiterated that he believes the “crisis can only be fixed by deliberate and targeted policy changes that enforce the rule of law, tighten our asylum standards, rein in the Department of Homeland Security’s parole power, and finish the southern border wall.” VA GETS FLAK FOR USING STAFF TO HELP ICE PROCESS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT HEALTH CARE DESPITE BACKLOG OF VETERANS GOP Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, who are also members of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, have also been outspoken against the VA’s effort. Last month, Blackburn sent a letter to the VA, questioning the agency about its use of resources for the healthcare of illegal immigrants. Addressed to Secretary Denis McDonough, Blackburn rejected the VA’s premise that it does not provide healthcare to those in ICE custody and questioned whether the agency checks citizenship status prior to approving veteran healthcare benefits, as well as whether the Biden administration has given a directive on medical care for those migrants, according to the Washington Examiner. Blackburn’s letter also pointed to a 2022 fiscal year report by the Department of Homeland Security that detailed “ICE spent more than $373.5 million on detained noncitizen healthcare,” according to the outlet. Echoing Blackburn, Tuberville has also raised red flags about the effort. During an interview last week with Fox News Digital, he touted his recently introduced No VA Resources for Illegal Aliens Act, which he introduced alongside Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., that would ban such action. “[Biden’s] decided, OK, we’ve got to feed all these 10 million people we’ve let come across the border, we’ve got to house them, and we’ve got to give them health care,” Tuberville said. “They’ve opened up care from the doctors in these [VA] community care systems. The lines now in the VA’s are getting longer. Our funds that are supposed to go to the veterans are going to these illegal immigrants that are coming