New Bill Would Expand Upon New York State’s Pending Gas Ban

Since 2019 New York State has been traveling on the road to banning the use of fossil fuels in just about every application in the state. These fossil fuel bans would cover just about everything you can think of, including gasoline-powered cars, natural gas furnaces and stoves, common yard equipment, and more.

In fact, New York has been on a banning spree lately by banning all sorts of things, from tackle football to whipped cream.

However, it seemed that the Buffalo Blizzard of '22 had caused some lawmakers in the Empire State to start to reconsider the ban on gas heaters and stoves. It was estimated that potentially hundreds more people would have lost their lives had the gas ban been in effect when the blizzard hit due to the fact that several thousand people in New York State were without power for nearly a week. If those people didn't have natural gas service in their homes, they would've potentially frozen to death in their homes.

Just as many thought New York would ease the restrictions of its pending gas ban, a new set of laws are being debated in Albany that would seek to actually expand the ban.

What Is The NY HEAT Act?

New York State Senate Bill s2016 / Assembly Bill a4592 was introduced for debate in February 2023 would change state law that gives subsidies and other support for natural gas service in the state. The law also provides additional rules around the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act that was passed in 2019.

The purpose of the bill is to ensure that state regulation and oversight of gas utilities provides for the equitable achievement of the climate justice and emission reduction mandates set forth in the "CLCPA".

The NY HEAT Act is officially called the New York Home Energy Affordable Transition Act, primarily serves to remove the subsidies that are used to ensure that everyone in New York can have access to gas services. If New York does switch to an all-electric state as required the NY All-Electric Buildings Act would require, this law would help the removal of natural gas service happen faster.

How Much Will It Cost New Yorkers To Switch To Fully Electric?

It's hard to peg an exact cost to switch a New York home from gas to fully electric because the actual costs will, of course, vary depending on the individual home, but there are studies about the potential costs in New York to do the switch and it's not expected to be cheap.