NY State Bans Natural Gas and Other Fossil Fuels in New Buildings

On May 2, the New York Senate and Assembly passed the state budget, which contains a provision banning gas cooking stoves and furnaces as well as propane heating in most new residential buildings. New York City passed a similar ban on natural gas hookups in new buildings in 2021, which is set to go into effect in phases in 2024 and 2027, for buildings under seven stories and taller buildings, respectively. The new legislation included in the state budget approved on May 2 applies across New York State.
The statewide ban will require new construction of seven stories or less to be fully electric starting in 2026, and will apply to all new construction in 2029. There are exceptions for large commercial and industrial buildings over 100,000 ft2 (about 9,290 m2) as well as exemptions for hospitals, restaurants, and laundromats. The ban does not apply to existing buildings. About 40,000 new homes are built in the state each year.