NY Becomes First State in U.S. to Ban Fossil Fuels on Most New Buildings

NY has become the first state in the United States to ban the use of fossil fuels, such as gason most new buildings from 2026, a win for environmentalists.

This great triumph of environmental activists in this Democratic majority state not without challengeyes, before the opposition from the powerful fossil fuel industry and Republicansreluctant to accept the reality of climate change.

“Changing the ways we generate and use energy to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels will contribute to ensure a healthier environment for ourselves and our children“said the president of the state Congress, Carl Heastie after the approval of the law.

According to the new law, which it will enter into force in 2026 for new buildings with less than 7 floors and by 2029 for the tallest onesthe gas that 3 out of 5 homes now use for heating and cooking will be replaced by electricity from renewable energy.

Hospitals, essential infrastructures and restaurants will be left out of these measureswhich are expected to spread across the country, a claim that has intensified since the beginning of the year.

The new law does not affect existing buildings. But over time it could undermine the dominance of gas in the state, where 3 in 5 homes rely on this polluting fossil fuel for heating. Only one in seven homes is heated by electricity, according to the Department of Energy. Buildings already built will not be affected by the new law.

The ban also affects diesel and propane heatersfuels widely used in particular in rural areas of the state.

Los critics argue that the law limits consumer choice and will increase bills, since electricity is more expensive than gas. According to the Department of Energy, 52% of New York households use natural gas for apartment heating and cooking.

The United States is the world’s leading producer of natural gas. and with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in 2022 it became the main exporter of LNG (liquefied natural gas).

The new state budget of 229,000 million dollars, approved by parliament on Tuesday night, contemplates the creation of a Climate Action Fund to help the State in the energy transition towards cleaner and more sustainable sources – solar, wind and hydro — in order to meet its goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 85% by 2050.