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Senate committee advances NYSERDA authorization to support clean hydrogen projects amid funding questions
Summary
The Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee advanced S.2474 to study and authorize NYSERDA programs for clean hydrogen, while members pressed for clarity on whether funds would come from RGGI or the system benefits charge and noted the absence of a fiscal note.
State Senator Trevor Parker, chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Energy and Telecommunications, moved S.2474 forward on a motion and second after hearing discussion about authorizing the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to administer programs and provide funding for clean hydrogen projects.
The bill’s sponsor asked the committee to authorize NYSERDA to study and support ‘‘creating, storing, and transferring hydrogen energy to residential [and] commercial structures,’’ and the clerk recorded that the bill “moves to 30,” advancing it to the next legislative stage.
Why it matters: Committee members broadly signaled support for exploring clean hydrogen but repeatedly pressed for clarity about who would pay. Senator Motero said the bill is ‘‘very important’’ and cited a previously discussed $2,400,000,000 figure, asking whether that amount would be used to fund the program. A committee member warned that ‘‘those dollars are coming from taxpayers from one way or another, either through their utility bills or through higher costs through the RGGI’’ and urged attention to impacts on existing clean-energy funds.
Funding and procedural limits: Staff and other speakers explained that NYSERDA’s funds come from multiple sources, including the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and the system benefits charge, and that ‘‘the majority of their budget comes from the system benefits charge.’’ Chair Parker summarized RGGI as a multistate compact that caps carbon and returns surcharge revenue to states to fund clean-energy projects. Staff also noted that any increase in the system benefits charge would require approval and a notice/confirmation process through the Public Service Commission (PSC).
Fiscal transparency concerns: Several members pressed the absence of a fiscal note or a clear cost estimate. One committee member said, ‘‘I understand that that is off budget, but I don’t think that means we should have a lack of concern of how much this project is gonna cost,’’ noting ratepayer exposure. Chair Parker replied that fiscal notes typically address impacts to the state’s annual operating budget and that NYSERDA’s resources do not come from that budget line, but acknowledged members’ interest in oversight of how NYSERDA spends its funds.
What the committee did: The sponsor’s motion to advance S.2474 (to study the feasibility of hydrogen use in buildings) was moved and seconded and — with no recorded roll-call tally in the transcript — the clerk announced the bill ‘‘moves to 30.’’ The transcript did not record a vote tally or an amendment.
Next steps: The bill will proceed to the next legislative stage for further consideration; staff told members they can raise concerns at NYSERDA board meetings and that PSC approval is required for any change to the system benefits charge.
