In politics, a last-minute bombshell that drops before a November election is known as an "October surprise."

Here in Albany, just days before the end of the legislative session, Gov. Kathy Hochul dropped what one could call a June surprise as she announced an “indefinite pause” of the congestion pricing policy which was set to go into effect at the end of June in New York City.

The announcement knocked the wind out of the legislative to-do list as the clock ticked down on session, and to some lawmakers, it seemed that the governor’s timing was especially detrimental to multiple environmental efforts.

“It was a shock to everyone involved at the worst possible time because we had two days left and we were dealing with hundreds of important bills that many of my colleagues were trying to get over the finish line,” state Senate Finance Committee Chairperson Liz Krueger told Capital Tonight. “Even if lots of people didn’t like it, it’s a win-win for the city of New York and the region. I felt very disturbed that it was being ended suddenly or paused. Also, the process. There was no process. We finished the budget a month earlier, there was not discussion of this.”

Krueger was especially disappointed that the so-called NY Heat Act was sidelined. The legislation would have aligned utility regulations with the state’s climate justice and emission reduction targets and repeal provisions relating to continuation of gas service.

“The fact is, our MTA is the most important public transportation system in the world, critical for our region and the entire economy of New York state. And it needs more money for its capital efforts," Krueger said.

Asked if the governor has done enough to implement climate legislation, Krueger said no.

“But in fairness, I don’t think any one of us in government is necessarily doing enough. This is the most crucial issue for our state, country and the world,” Krueger said.