New York Law Banning Natural Gas in New Construction Is Bad Environmental Policy, Will Increase Costs for Residents
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New York passed a new law banning natural gas and other fossil fuels in most new buildings today, the first state in the nation to pass such a ban. The New York law contains exceptions – restaurants, car washes, and buildings used for manufacturing – but would require new construction to have all-electric cooking and heating by 2029.
Senior Fellow Ben Lieberman said:
“Today is a bad day for consumer choice in New York. Instead of being able to choose between natural gas and electricity – and even the Biden Administration admits that the former is over three times cheaper – New Yorkers living in new construction will be limited to electricity only. Not only is this bad economic policy, but it is also bad environmental policy, as direct use of natural gas is cleaner than electricity generation. The push to electrify everything is yet another environmental fad that makes no sense.”
Deputy Director of CEI’s Center for Energy and Environment Daren Bakst said:
“The extreme climate agenda strikes again, and while this ban will directly impact New Yorkers, it very well could have a ripple effect across the country. It wasn’t long ago that claiming the government will be dictating how we heat our homes and cook our food would have been labeled as over-the-top. But here we are, and nothing seems off limits for those who think their climate agenda is more important than everything else. If their goals mean restricting freedom or driving up costs to heat homes, then so be it. This is dangerous and irresponsible, and those who will get hurt the most are low-income households who will struggle even more to meet basic needs.”
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