On September 15, NYLCV President Julie Tighe joined Chairman Andrew Joyce and other members of the Albany County Legislature for a press conference to highlight the green benefits available to Albany County residents, and New Yorkers more broadly, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The IRA, which was signed into law in August of last year, is the biggest, boldest action our nation has ever taken to address the climate crisis. The clean energy benefits available in this legislation will be transformative for New York as the state works to meet the clean energy targets set out in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, the state’s landmark climate law.
The historic measure marks a pivotal shift toward clean energy alternatives and opens the door to a host of new job opportunities in manufacturing and service operations.
“We helped get this historic federal legislation passed, as well as state climate legislation, which together will reduce carbon pollution, create good clean energy jobs, and reduce energy costs,” said Tighe.
Since the IRA was passed last year, New York State has seen real investment toward a clean energy future, including $11.7 Billion in public infrastructure and clean energy investments, 4,300 jobs in clean energy, and over $317 Million in home energy rebates.
“After years of talk about the importance of transitioning the United States to a clean energy economy, the rubber is finally meeting the road with the IRA,” Tighe added.
The Albany County Legislature has a track record of spearheading green initiatives, and the League was eager to help them spread the word about the clean-energy benefits included in the IRA, including the myriad tax credits and rebates for home consumer products like heat pumps and electric stoves.
“I’m proud that the Albany County Legislature is doing its part to help our residents see that going green can be easy and cost effective. Too often, people don’t know where to start when looking to implement sustainability measures,” said Joyce. “These incentives, made clear in a user-friendly format, help demonstrate easy ways to make positive environmental change for future generations.”
The user-friendly format Joyce referenced was the Albany County Legislature’s IRA benefits website and NYLCVEF’s IRA Consumer Benefits Guides, which were made available for members of the press and have been a focal point of the League’s educational efforts in the year since the bill was signed.
“The IRA is the single most effective federal legislation passed in recent years to help residents,” said William Reinhardt, an Albany County Legislator and Chair of Conservation, Sustainability & Green Initiatives Committee. “It has only begun to demonstrate the benefits it offers in the form of the good-paying jobs that come with it and the growing green economy that offers economic opportunities across many sectors of our economy.”