Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Democratic majority in the state’s legislature have reached an agreement on a new budget deal that would, among other things, phase out gas hookups in new homes.
Hochul announced on Thursday evening that she had reached a tentative agreement with Democratic House Speaker Carl Heastie and Democratic Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins on the state’s budget for fiscal year 2024. The budget bill is currently valued at $229 billion.
During a Thursday press conference, Hochul highlighted several aspects of the tentative deal, including a provision to phase out natural gas hookups in new homes.
“Everyone knows we’ve seen the effects of climate change—the storms, the Hurricanes coming to New York, record snow amounts—we’re seeing the effects every single day, not just here, but across the nation. Our budget prioritizes nation-leading climate action that meets this moment with ambition and the commitment it demands.”
Hochul then said, “We’re going to be the first state in the nation to advance zero-emission new homes and buildings beginning in 2025 for small buildings, 2028 for large buildings.”
This zero-emissions standard for homes and buildings entails phasing out a variety of fossil fuel-based utility equipment and home appliances, impacting gas stoves, oil or gas-powered plumbing, heating, lighting, insulation, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration equipment, as well as elevators and escalators that run on fossil fuel.
Hochul began endorsing a phaseout of fossil fuel equipment in January, and lawmakers have indicated the phaseout would be implemented through language added to the state budget.
What’s In The Bill
As the budget agreement is still tentative, Hochul and leaders in the state legislature have yet to publish the actual language for the fossil fuel equipment phaseout and the various other aspects of the state budget omnibus.
Without the full details of the tentative legislative agreement, a coalition of environmental groups called GasFreeNY expressed caution that the final language could include a “poison pill” provision that would give local governments or other entities some ability to circumvent the phaseout of fossil fuel equipment.
By Ryan Morgan
