What to know about NY’s ban on gas hookups in new homes, apartments

Published May 4, 2023

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New York is set to become the first U.S. state to ban fossil-fuel hookups in newly constructed homes and apartment buildings, a move supporters say is necessary to reduce harmful emissions from buildings.

The ban, included as part of a $229 billion state budget approved by lawmakers this week, is set to take effect by 2026 and 2029, depending on the size of the building.

But if you’re in New York City, a similar ban is starting sooner since the city approved its own measure in 2021.

The ban on new hookups is already promising to be a major political battle in next year's congressional and state legislative elections, with most Democrats saying it is necessary to fight climate change and Republicans arguing it amounts to government overreach.

Here's what the new statewide ban does and doesn't do:

The short answer is yes.

The ban on fossil fuel hookups only applies to new construction, so if you live in a home or building that was built before the law takes effect, it doesn't apply to you. The new law includes a provision specifically saying previously constructed homes can continue to install, repair and maintain their gas lines for cooking or heating equipment.

That means you can keep your gas stove and furnace, and even replace them when things go awry. But if you want to move into a newer home, buildings constructed after the ban takes effect won't be permitted to have fossil-fuel hookups — which means no gas stoves or gas furnaces.

"I know people love to misinterpret this, but people with existing gas stoves, you're welcome to keep them," Gov. Kathy Hochul said last week.

State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt (R-North Tonawanda) says that's semantics: The ban means there is a gas stove ban in new homes.

"The cost of building new homes will be more expensive," he said on Tuesday, after the budget was passed. "If you don't believe me, ask a home builder."

It depends how big the building is — and whether the building is in New York City, which passed its own ban two years ago.

For most newly constructed buildings that are seven stories or shorter across New York state, the ban on new fossil-fuel hookups begins Dec. 31, 2025.

For taller buildings, the ban begins Dec. 31, 2028, according to the budget. The later deadline also applies to industrial or commercial buildings under seven stories high but larger than 100,000 total square feet.

New York City's local ban takes effect sooner. For city buildings with fewer than seven floors, it'll take effect at the start of next year. For taller buildings, it's 2027.

Yes.

A number of different types of buildings are excluded from the statewide ban, including manufacturing facilities, laboratories, car washes, laundromats, hospitals and commercial food establishments — meaning that restaurants will be able to have gas stoves even in newly constructed buildings. A similar carveout is also present in the city's law.

There's also an exception for fossil-fuel hookups for backup power generation, which means you could still have a gas- or oil-fueled backup generator if the electricity goes out.

Other exceptions include crematoria, emergency management centers and wastewater treatment plants.

"There's a lot of thought put into that as well," Hochul said.

You bet we are.

The future of gas stoves has been at the center of a national culture war for months, and Republicans in New York have seized on the state's fossil-fuel hookup ban as a major issue for them.

On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Michael Lawler, a Rockland County Republican, sent a fundraising pitch to his supporters with an image of a Wall Street Journal headline that read: "New York Passes First-in-Nation Ban on Gas Stoves in New Homes, Apartments."

"Can you believe this?! It's Congressman Mike Lawler and I am appalled at this," the text message pitch reads, before including a link to donate to his campaign. "We CANNOT ban gas stoves."

All 213 seats in the state Legislature are up for election next year, as are New York's 26 congressional districts.

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Jon Campbell covers the New York State Capitol for WNYC and Gothamist. Prior to that, he covered the Capitol for more than a decade for the USA TODAY Network. He has twice earned the Walter T. Brown Memorial Award, an honor given annually by the Legislative Correspondents Association alumni for outstanding state government coverage. Jon grew up in the Buffalo area and graduated from the University at Albany. Got a tip? Email Jon at [email protected] or Signal 518-210-7087.

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