New York Bans Gas in New Builds

New York bans gas, making it is the first state to ban fossil fuels, including natural gas, in new construction starting in 2026.

The newly approved provision, part of the state’s $229 billion budget, was approved in early May. Buildings with seven or fewer stories can no longer use gas-powered stoves, furnaces, and propane heating beginning in 2026, and taller buildings in 2029.

Other recent electrification efforts on the state side come from California and Washington. The states' mandate for heat pumps in new builds beginning this year. Other cities have enacted their own bans on natural gas, such as Berkeley, Calif. In 2019 and San Francisco in 2021. New York City banned natural gas in 2021 as well.

Earlier this year, talks of a national gas stove ban set off a fiery response. A Consumer Product Safety Commission member, who had previously attempted to get a stove ban on the table, called stoves a “hidden hazard” after new peer-reviewed research found more than 12% of current childhood asthma cases could be attributed to gas stove use. The commission clarified it was not seeking a ban.

New York’s fossil fuel ban comes as a means to reduce carbon emissions. According to a 2022 report by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, buildings account for 32% of the state’s carbon emissions. 

In a statement, Republican New York State Senator Robert Ortt said the ban is unconstitutional and “will drive up utility bills and increase housing costs.” New York Speaker Carl Heastie, in a statement, said it’s “Changing the ways we make and use energy to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels will help ensure a healthier environment for us and our children.”

Analysis by the Rocky Mountain Institute found the new ban could save 4 million metric tons of CO2 by 2040. The Institute also previously found New York emits more building air pollution than any other state.