(USNewsMag.com) – On May 2, the Assembly of the State of New York became the first legislature in the United States to approve a statewide prohibition on new connections for natural gas.
With a few exceptions for hospitals, restaurants, repairs, and manufacturing, the $229 billion budget package for the state will mandate that every new structure with a floor height of less than seven floors switchs to electric heating and cooking by 2026. While proponents of the bill stated that it was essential for New York State to achieve its climate objectives, detractors pointed out that the cost of electricity is often higher than that of gas for households in the state.
State Senate Republican Leader Robert Ortt said that the objectives of New Yorkers were not taken into account while crafting the state budget by Democrats in Albany. Housing expenses and energy bills will rise as a result of an unconstitutional prohibition on natural gas connections in newly constructed structures.
Climate campaigners have expressed confidence that the bill could motivate similar initiatives in additional states, despite widespread anticipation of legal challenges by the gas and oil sectors. In April, the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decisively overturned a similar ban enacted by Berkeley, California, the first city in the country to do so.
Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, stated that she wishes to be very explicit. Although she anticipates some confusion, she wants to make it clear that people may continue using their gas stoves if they already have one. This is the direction our country must go. However, she is hoping that the change will not be difficult.
In order to influence potential national laws, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has recently published an appeal for information, seeking public feedback on the negative consequences produced by gas stoves.
Kentucky Republican Representative James Comer and Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz have expanded their investigation into a number of environmental organizations they think influenced the CPSC’s position on gas stoves.
Copyright 2023, USNewsMag.com
