New York legislature oks ban on gas stoves, fossil fuel use in new buildings

The New York legislature has approved a budget package that includes a ban on natural gas hookups and fossil fuel use in new homes as the state works to transition toward renewable energy.

The provision would effectively eliminate the use of common household appliances such as gas stoves in new construction. The ban will take effect in 2026 for buildings under seven stories and in 2029 for those with additional floors, the Washington Post reported. Its implementation will mark the first statewide ban in the nation.

It does provide exceptions for restaurants, manufacturing facilities, healthcare structures, and some other businesses, though it likely will face legal challenges from the state's fossil fuel industry.

Gas currently is responsible for 46% of the Empire State's electricity generation, the Post noted. The ban further bars the use of heating oil and propane.

A comparable ban has already failed to survive legal scrutiny, with three judges on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in late April striking down the California city of Berkeley's own ban after the California Restaurant Association brought a legal challenge.

The debate over fossil fuel use in new construction, in particular talk of gas stove bans, achieved national attention earlier this year after Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. called the appliances a "hidden hazard" and hinted at such a national policy, though the Biden administration softened their tone after the suggestion drew considerable backlash.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.