Democrats are already pursuing natural gas stove bans in several cities nationwide, even as the Biden administration has delayed seeking similar bans on a federal level.
The cities currently enacting restrictions on natural gas hookups include New York City, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco — which are collectively home to over 10 million Americans.
The restrictions will affect gas-powered ovens, furnaces, and stoves.
Leaders in these Democrat-led cities argue that transitioning away from natural gas appliances will assist with achieving net zero and climate ambitions.
In December 2021, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio touted the city’s ban on natural gas-powered appliances, saying the city “is proof that it’s possible to end the era of fossil fuels.”
He claimed that New York City also showed that it was possible to “ban gas use” and “invest in a sustainable future, protect public health and create good-paying jobs in the process.”
De Blasio claimed that if “the largest city in America” could do what New York City was doing, “any city can do the same.”
Shortly after making these remarks, de Blasio signed legislation to phase out the use of fossil fuels in new buildings in the city.
The legislation goes into effect this year, with all new buildings expected to be fully electric by 2027.
This change means that New York City will be the largest U.S. City and the first large cold-weather city to no longer have fossil fuel combustion in new buildings.
Although New York City is the largest cold-weather to drop natural gas from new buildings, Seattle passed a similar law in June 2021
