Search: Hochul

Governor Kathy Hochul has announced $35 million in funding for public sector entities to install and operate Level 2 electric vehicle chargers across New York State. The Charge Ready NY Large Public Sector Project programme, administered by NYSERDA, will award between $1 million and $15 million per project to state agencies, local governments and university systems installing chargers on publicly owned land for general public use.

Why it matters: The competitive programme creates a substantial procurement pipeline for Level 2 infrastructure suppliers and installers working with public sector clients in New York. With individual awards reaching up to $15 million, the scheme signals significant contract opportunities for CPOs and contractors capable of delivering large scale public charging deployments.

New York State has deployed more than 1,850 zero emission vehicles and installed over 1,300 EV charging ports on state-owned properties, with ZEVs now representing more than 10% of the state's light-duty, non-emergency fleet. The rollout supports Governor Kathy Hochul's Executive Order 22, which mandates full transition of state light-duty vehicles to zero emission models by 2035 and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by 2040. A further 550 charging ports are currently in design and construction phases, including Level 2 chargers, DC fast chargers and off-grid solar-powered systems with battery storage.

Why it matters: The deployment demonstrates significant public sector procurement momentum in New York, with over 1,300 charging ports already installed and 550 more in the pipeline, creating immediate opportunities for CPOs and infrastructure suppliers. The state's binding 2035 and 2040 electrification mandates signal sustained demand for charging infrastructure across government sites over the next decade.

New York State has allocated a further $30 million to its Drive Clean Rebate programme, which offers point of sale rebates of $500 to $2,000 per vehicle for battery electric and plug in hybrid models. Governor Kathy Hochul announced the funding during Earth Week, with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) administering the scheme. NYSERDA states that electric vehicles can cut annual running costs by 40 to 70 per cent compared to petrol vehicles based on current fuel and electricity prices in the state.

Why it matters: Sustained state level purchase incentives help maintain EV adoption momentum even as federal support weakens, which in turn drives demand for public and workplace charging infrastructure. Lower upfront costs typically correlate with faster fleet electrification and higher utilisation of existing charge point networks.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she will announce proposed changes to the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act this week, arguing the state needs a longer timeline to meet mandates that require cutting greenhouse gas emissions to 40% of 1990 levels by 2030 and 85% by 2050. Hochul cited a NYSERDA memo forecasting higher utility costs under the current law, though 29 of 41 Democratic state senators have rejected rollbacks and called the memo flawed. The climate law is expected to be a central issue in state budget negotiations.

Why it matters: Any weakening of New York's climate targets could slow the state's aggressive EV charging buildout and clean energy procurement timelines, affecting CPO expansion plans and utility investment schedules. Budget negotiations will determine whether the state maintains its current pace of decarbonisation mandates that drive charging infrastructure demand.

Governor Kathy Hochul's FY2027 budget proposes $39.3 billion in total school aid, a $1.6 billion increase, guaranteeing every district at least a 1% annual Foundation Aid rise. The Rural Schools Association of New York State warns that 1% falls short of 2.7% consumer inflation and rising costs including 10% retirement and 20% health care contributions, while the 2% tax cap limits local revenue. The group highlights the state's electric school bus mandate as unfunded, with no dedicated funding source or timeline provided in the budget.

Why it matters: Rural districts face a funding gap that may force programme cuts and layoffs, directly affecting their ability to finance mandated electric bus transitions. The absence of dedicated EV fleet funding in New York's budget signals procurement uncertainty for school bus charging infrastructure and vehicle suppliers targeting upstate markets.