Home Rule

What is Home Rule?

For decades, New York’s Constitution has empowered municipalities to set their own zoning and land use rules—ensuring that local communities decide what gets built in their own backyards. This promise of Home Rule has been a cornerstone for preserving local character and protecting quality of life.

But in a mad dash to hit the 70% renewable energy target by 2030 under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, the state established the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) in 2021. Now, ORES has full authority to fast‑track large-scale wind and solar projects (25MW+) by overriding local zoning laws. If a proposed project doesn’t meet local regulations, ORES can simply “elect not to apply” those rules if they’re deemed an unreasonable burden on climate targets.

Then, on April 20, 2024, the Renewable Action Through Project Interconnection and Deployment (RAPID) Act was enacted, further stripping local control. This legislation consolidates the environmental review and permitting processes for major renewable energy and electric transmission projects under ORES, effectively sidelining local municipalities in favor of a centralized, state-driven approach. By transferring authority from the Public Service Commission to ORES, the RAPID Act accelerates the approval process but at the cost of local governance. 

We’re furious. This loose, top‑down approach sidelines local voices and strips rural communities of their constitutional rights. Home Rule isn’t just a bureaucratic relic—it’s a promise of local autonomy that’s being steamrolled in the name of rapid green progress. It's time to demand that New York protect its local decision-making power even as it races toward a renewable future.