The World’s Most Important Local Climate and Jobs Law is in Eric Adams’ Hands
Elected with real estate industry support, soon-to-be Mayor Adams faces a critical choice on New York’s landmark buildings emissions law.
Elected with real estate industry support, soon-to-be Mayor Adams faces a critical choice on New York’s landmark buildings emissions law.
I hope this article helped you better answer the question that guides all of our journalism: Who runs New York? Before you click away, please consider supporting our work and making more stories like this one possible.
New York state is standing at a crossroads for climate action. After passing one of the nation’s most ambitious climate laws in 2019, the state is lagging far behind on its targets, struggling to meet deadlines to build renewable energy and clean up its buildings and roads. Other states are closely watching our progress, making decisions about their own climate plans based on New York’s ability to implement this legislation.
As New York’s only statewide nonprofit news publication, we’ve been scrutinizing the state’s climate progress. Our journalism exists to unpack how power works in New York, analyze who’s really calling the shots, and reveal how obscure decisions shape ordinary New Yorkers’ lives.
But we can't do this work without your help. We rely on reader donations to help sustain our outlet, and every gift directly allows us to publish more pieces like this.
Our work has already shown what can happen when those with power know that someone is watching, with my reporting prompting a state investigation and fine for a major corporation. I have more story ideas than I can count, but only limited resources to pursue all the leads that come across my desk.
If you’re able, please consider supporting our journalism with a one-time or monthly gift. Even small donations make a big difference.
Thank you for reading.
Trump picked up some votes in New York this year. But Democrats lost far more.
Last month, we asked five questions about what would happen in the election. Here are the answers.
It’s not clear what the money was used for in a county where Democrats outnumber Republicans ten-to-one.
Some want New York to rethink its climate mandates. Could new gas plants be on the table?
Major new tech facilities are not expected to overload the state’s grid — but New York City could fall short of power in the early 2030s without creative solutions, according to a key study.
New rules from the Biden administration require water utilities to replace all lead pipes. That could cost New York $2.5 billion or more, kicking off a fight over who pays.
A newly discovered 80-page housing package would have included good cause eviction, but legislators were dissuaded by Kathy Hochul’s opposition.
For tenants in the first upstate city to adopt rent stabilization, benefiting from the law’s basic protections is an uphill battle.
Advocates charge that New York’s restrictions for sex offense registrants are “vague, expansive, and unnecessary.” On Tuesday, they filed a federal lawsuit to strike them down.