NYC energy costs reach ‘crisis level’ with 43% of Staten Islanders behind on bills

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Almost half of Staten Islanders have fallen behind on their utility bills at points in the last five years, according to a new report City Comptroller Brad Lander released Wednesday.

About 43% of borough customers were among the 3.5 million New Yorkers who fell behind on their utility payments since 2020 amid growing costs that Lander says are approaching an affordability crisis.

“The summer season is upon us and so are heatwaves and high utility bills,” he said. “Millions of New Yorkers will have to decide between paying for air conditioning, rent, or putting food on the table, and as a result, hundreds could die from preventable heatstroke.”

The comptroller said rising temperatures have contributed to the higher bills with cooling costs increasing over 50% in the last decade. Worst-case scenarios have seen about 580 New Yorkers die prematurely each year due to extreme heat.

Additionally, Lander said policies from President Donald Trump’s administration could lead to higher costs.

In May, the White House released a budget proposal that showed Trump’s desire to gut the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which aims to help low-income Americans better manage their energy costs.

The proposal from the president’s Office of Management and Budget characterized the program as wasteful and uneccessary with a negative impact on consumers.

Trump cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency have also threatened Energy Star, which helps consumers more easily identify energy-efficient appliances through its familiar label.

“With Trump shutting off energy assistance programs, states and cities need to power up to make energy more affordable by curbing energy rate hikes, prioritizing financial supports like the NY HEAT Act, and expanding alternative affordable public power through renewables and solar,” Lander, who is running for mayor, said.

To counter the rising costs, Lander urged the state legislature to pass the New York Home Energy Affordable Transition Act, which aims to limit the state’s usage of natural gas for heating and cooling.

He also recommended the state limit rate increases, the city establish a “right to cooling,” and both entities to expand the usage of public energy.