New York Soon To Become First State To Ban Natural Gas Hookups In New Buildings

The State of New York is set to become the first state to outright ban all new natural gas hookups in new buildings as part of a scheme to go all-electric, media reported on Friday.

The Washington Post reported on Friday that a handshake deal between Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers would result in a new law that will force all new buildings into the all-electric era, with natural gas hookups outlawed.

The law would prevent gas stoves and all other fossil fuel-burning appliances from being installed in any new building in the state with an eye to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Earlier this month, an appeals court ruled against the city of Berkley, California, over its scheme to ban natural gas hookups in new buildings. In the ruling, the court sided against Berkely, saying that its 2019 ban on natural gas hookups effectively banned all appliances operating with natural gas, which it was not allowed to do because of federal legislation that pre-empts such local legislation.

"By its plain text and structure, EPCA's preemption provision encompasses building codes that regulate natural gas use by covered products," Judge Patrick Bumatay, one of a three-member panel at the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, wrote earlier this month in response to Berkley's ban. "And by preventing such appliances from using natural gas, the new Berkeley building code does exactly that."

The details of New York’s ban has yet to be revealed, but environmental advocates have noted that the ban on natural gas would go into effect in 2026 for most new buildings under seven stories, and in 2029 for buildings that are taller, the Washington Post said.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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