Middletown mayor asks state lawmakers to reconsider CLCPA citing household energy cost concerns

A letter from Middletown Mayor Joseph Dphano and two other Hudson Valley mayors asked state legislative leaders to review the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, saying projected compliance costs risk imposing steep energy bills on local households.

The council received and filed the correspondence, which cites analysis from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority projecting that, under some CLCPA scenarios, gasoline and household energy costs could rise substantially by 2031. The letter urged the Legislature "to take up consideration of revisions" so communities can meet climate goals while reducing immediate cost pressures on families and businesses.

"These are costs that New Yorkers simply cannot bear," the letter reads, urging "time and more common-sense adjustments" rather than a rollback of targets. The document was entered into the council record and received without further debate.

A form reply from U.S. Rep. Patrick K. Ryan was also read into the record; Ryan wrote that he and his staff would "take your views into careful consideration" as they review the issue in Washington.

Why it matters: Council members said they wanted the city to add its voice to regional conversations about energy policy, noting the interplay between statewide mandates and local cost-of-living pressures. No formal council action was taken beyond receiving the correspondence.

What’s next: The letter will remain on the council record; any follow-up would take place through separate legislative contacts at the state level.