Clinton County Legislature amends, approves resolution urging state action on rising energy costs

The Clinton County Legislature on March 25 approved an amended resolution urging state action to address accelerating energy costs affecting county residents.

Ms. Peters read Resolution 208, "Expressing the Strong Concern of the Clinton County Legislature regarding Escalating Energy Costs in New York State," and legislators discussed language provided by NYSEG and material from a Zoom briefing with NYSERDA representatives. The amendment advanced language asking the governor and New York State Legislature to "intervene to allow immediate action to lower bills, place safeguards on utility bills to protect our consumers from extreme price spikes, initiate suspension of taxes, fees, and surcharges on energy bills, and expedite the construction of base load generation." The body voted to add the amendment and then approved the amended resolution.

Legislator Castelli asked for clarification about the phrase "base load generation," noting it generally refers to power plants that run continuously to meet a steady portion of demand; other members described it as an approach that can reduce price volatility compared with relying heavily on peaker resources. Committee members also reported receiving a NYSEG fact sheet that explains bill components and rate options, such as a "residential" versus "day/night" rate structure that some constituents have used to lower bills.

Public commenter Jeffrey Barker, who said he lives in Mountain View, Plattsburgh, asked the Legislature to consider the broader costs of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), arguing that electrification mandates (he cited electric school buses) and grid upgrades would raise costs for ratepayers. Barker read portions of a previously published letter and urged legislators to "think of how much the electrical grid will have to be improved to comply with the statewide CLCPA." Barker's remarks were heard before the committee report that placed the resolution on the agenda.

Several legislators said they did not want a broad "state of emergency" phrasing in the resolution; the amendment that passed avoids declaring an energy state of emergency while seeking authority and actions the board said could produce more immediate consumer relief. The resolution was approved as amended; the record in the meeting transcript records "carried" after the vote. The transcript does not include a full, itemized roll-call tally for the final approval in the public record excerpt provided.

The measure is advisory and requests state-level action; it does not itself change county law or taxes. The Legislature will distribute copies of the amended resolution to members and to the relevant state offices per the resolution text.