Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumIn significant climate change action, New York City bans new gas hookups
In a landmark moment for the effort to combat climate change, the New York City Council voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to ban gas hookups in new buildings. The new law, which New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio will sign, bans new gas stoves, boilers and heaters in new buildings and buildings that undergo gut renovations.
Were making it clear that the next generation of buildings will be electric buildings, Ben Furnas, de Blasios director of climate and sustainability, told Yahoo News. Were sending a message to the world that if you can do it here, you can do it anywhere.
New York is the largest city in the United States and by far the largest in the country to adopt a ban on new gas hookups. Previously, only a handful of cities on the West Coast, such as San Jose and Berkeley in California, had such policies in place.
This is a very big deal. The places that have done this already dont have four seasons, and they dont build as big, Furnas noted.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/in-significant-climate-change-action-new-york-city-bans-new-gas-hookups-173727046.html
I think Seattle has the same rule from what my sister tells me.
TygrBright
(20,763 posts)Most gas appliances are actually pretty energy-efficient compared to similar electric appliances with the power generated from coal.
Do they want people installing propane tanks to cook with?
confusedly,
Bright
Jim__
(14,082 posts)In the absence of gas for heating, hot water and cooking, those services will be provided by electric stoves and heaters. Although New York Citys electricity generation portfolio is not 100 percent clean, switching from burning gas on-site to using electricity has a lower emissions output.
Its a historic step forward in our efforts to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, Furnas told the New York Times.
The bills supporters also characterized it as a victory for environmental justice, because it will reduce local air pollution, which is especially prevalent in lower-income and Black and Latino neighborhoods.
TygrBright
(20,763 posts)New Yorkers who like to cook will be paying premium prices for them before long.
speculatively,
Bright
NNadir
(33,539 posts)Indian Point is being shut, and no, that's not because they're going solar.