“To delay the CLCPA is a failure of moral imagination and a lack of political will.”
On Earth Day (April 22), a coalition of clergy from many faiths across the state delivered a letter to the Governor – signed by nearly 100 faith leaders – underscoring the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable and affordable energy solutions.
APRIL 22, 2026 – In recent months, NY Governor Hochul has backed away from commitments on climate action, most recently proposing a budget that significantly waters down and delays implementation of the state’s 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
On Earth Day, dozens of clergy members expressed their outrage that the Governor is denigrating the law and delaying action that would help New Yorkers weather the climate crisis. In a letter delivered to her office, faith leaders raise their voices together to convey the overwhelming urgency to protect and preserve life.
The letter states: “We urge you to uphold the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). Your budget proposal would undermine a law that our communities are counting on being both implemented and funded.
This is an economic issue, a public health issue, a justice issue, but most of all, it’s a moral issue. Our diverse faiths compel us to speak up when witnessing injustice and we call on you as a religious person and a Catholic to do the right thing.”
NY clergy speak out
GreenFaith
“85 degree days in April. A war being fought over oil in Iran. Skyrocketing prices. Now is the time for a real leader to step up and do the right thing on climate. We need to ramp up our transition to renewable energy, not delay it. We need clean air, green jobs, and healthy communities, not fracked gas and nuclear power plants. As a person of faith, I implore Gov. Hochul to stop making dirty deals that benefit billionaires and, instead, fight for all New Yorkers.”
–Rev. Chelsea MacMillan, GreenFaith
Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action
“We call on Governor Hochul to have vision and resolve, and to consider both the present and the future in making decisions about energy solutions. Delaying the implementation of the CLCPA will make New York less affordable, less healthy and, simply put, unable to thrive l’dor v’dor – from generation to generation. This is the moment to recommit to renewable energy that will power our state for decades, result in lower pollution and emissions, safeguard frontline communities, and enable us to heat, cool, and light homes, schools, businesses, and houses of worship.”
–Rabbi Jennie Rosenn, Founder and CEO, Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action