Assemblyman Brian Maher (R,C-Walden) is highlighting a new statewide survey from the Empire Center for Public Policy that reinforces what families across New York have been saying: Protecting our environment and keeping energy affordable should not be competing priorities.

The survey of 600 likely 2026 general-election voters found that the largest group of respondents, 42%, supports reducing greenhouse gas emissions but only if doing so does not lead to higher energy prices. Another 24% prioritized lower energy prices, while 24% prioritized reducing emissions even if energy costs increase.

“These results send an important message to Albany: New Yorkers care about protecting our environment, but they cannot afford policies that make it more expensive to heat their homes, keep the lights on or put food on the table,” said Meghan Hurlburt, Assemblyman Brian Maher’s chief of staff. “We absolutely have a responsibility to be good stewards of our planet and leave a cleaner, healthier environment for our children and grandchildren. But we also have a responsibility to make sure the path we take to get there does not leave working families, seniors on fixed incomes and our most vulnerable neighbors behind.”

The affordability concerns reflected in the poll extend across several energy and climate proposals. According to the Empire Center, 63% of respondents opposed home-heating electrification, compared with 30% who supported it. On the state’s proposed cap-and-invest program, voters were closely divided, with approximately 1 in 5 respondents still unsure.

The survey also found broad concern about the impact of growing energy demand on consumers. Fifty-nine percent of respondents said data centers should be required to take steps to prevent electricity prices from rising, including 43% who favored requiring data centers to build their own power sources rather than relying on the existing grid.

“Environmental progress cannot come at the expense of affordability,” Hurlburt continued. “The families we represent are already making difficult decisions every month as the cost of living continues to rise. A successful energy policy must be clean, reliable and affordable. If Albany ignores any one of those three priorities, it is everyday New Yorkers who will ultimately pay the price.”

Assemblyman Maher has consistently advocated for an energy approach that balances environmental responsibility with affordability and reliability for New York families. His office will continue to push for policies that protect the state’s natural resources while recognizing the very real financial pressures facing households and communities across the Hudson Valley and Catskills.