Rallies took place around New York state Thursday demanding lawmakers pass a couple of bills known by advocates as the Renewable Heat Now package. 

The package includes a pair of bills: one requires state buildings to transition to renewable energy within three years; the other bill curbs the expansion of gas infrastructure throughout the state.

It’s the second bill that has elicited the most vocal opposition.

Organizations like the Business Council of New York State, the Farm Bureau, Associated General Contractors and others are against the “Home Energy Affordability Transition,” or NY HEAT Act, because, they argue, its broad authority to prohibit natural gas will hurt businesses that rely on it.

Liz Moran, a policy advocate at Earthjustice, counters that claim by saying New York ratepayers are subsidizing the state’s reliance on natural gas by paying gas companies to provide gas hookups to new customers within 100 feet of a gas line.  

According to advocates, the bill would limit households’ energy burdens and would allow utilities to provide cheaper and cleaner heating alternatives at no additional cost to customers.

Moran spoke with Capital Tonight’s Susan Arbetter about the issue.