Energy (Electric Vehicles)

Establishes clean energy goals of reducing the annual total of vehicle miles traveled within the state by 20% by the year 2050; requires state and local highway projects to comply with reductions to vehicle miles traveled targets.

S 98 requires electric corporations to cover the costs of "make-ready" infrastructure needed to charge electric vehicles for public fleets, such as government-owned buses, police cars, and school district vehicles. It mandates that corporations include 100% of their own infrastructure costs (like transformers and wiring) and at least 50% of customer infrastructure costs (like site wiring) in their rates - increasing to 90% in disadvantaged communities - so these expenses are shared across all utility customers instead of paid directly by fleet operators. This reduces upfront financial barriers for public entities transitioning to electric fleets while ensuring infrastructure costs are recovered through standard rate structures. The bill applies specifically to state, municipal, school district, and public authority fleets, not private businesses.

This bill updates New York's climate law to set a new target of six gigawatts of statewide energy storage capacity by 2030. It requires the state's electricity providers (load-serving entities) to procure this storage capacity through programs established by the Public Service Commission by July 2024. The change modifies existing requirements in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), specifically raising the energy storage goal from a previously stated "three" gigawatts to six gigawatts. This policy directly affects utility companies and renewable energy developers responsible for meeting the state's clean energy targets.

Enacts the credit for rural energy infrastructure act of 2025, to provide tax credits for certain activities expanding energy infrastructure into unserved rural areas.

This bill prohibits state agencies, departments, or municipalities from restricting the sale or use of motor vehicles based on their energy source (e.g., gasoline, electric, hybrid). It directly affects vehicle buyers, dealers, and local governments by blocking regulations that target specific fuel types. The key provision amends environmental conservation law to explicitly override any existing rules limiting vehicles by fuel type, applying immediately. This changes how vehicle regulations can be structured but does not create new requirements for vehicle standards.

Directs the department of public service to promulgate rules and regulations to establish fee transparency standards for electric vehicle charging stations.