Rockaway Beach residents have criticized Assembly Member Stacey Pheffer Amato for withdrawing her support for the NY HEAT Act, which aims to reduce the use of fossil fuels and promote the use of cleaner, more affordable energy sources.

Pheffer Amato announced that she was withdrawing her co-sponsoring of the legislation in a post on social media on May 1, citing an announcement from climate advocacy group Spring Street Climate Action that it would spend $50,000 targeting elected officials that it viewed as roadblocks to the NY HEAT Act.