Assemblyman Matt Simpson (R,C-Adirondack) is a “No” on Assembly Bill A.8888, or the “NY HEAT Act Adjacent,” which seeks to repeal the “100-foot rule” requiring utilities to provide gas pipeline connections at no cost to customers within 100 feet of an existing gas main. This legislation threatens to increase housing construction costs, raise utility bills, eliminate union jobs and undermine New York’s energy grid reliability.

“A.8888 further burdens our communities and residents,” said Simpson. “By eliminating the 100-foot rule, this bill will drive up housing costs, making it harder for families to afford homes. It risks higher utility bills, threatens union jobs in the utility sector and jeopardizes grid stability. This is another green mandate that lacks sufficient planning and has little regard for safeguarding economic stability and energy reliability. Ratepayers are already being crushed with rising utility bills due to misguided legislation, and this will only exacerbate the problem.”

Simpson warned that the bill’s blind push for electrification without robust grid upgrades threatens disruptions. “It’s a reckless gamble with our energy grid that working families faced with unaffordable housing costs are going to bear,” Simpson concluded.