A federal judge recently dismissed a lawsuit brought by plumbing and building trade groups against a New York City ban on natural gas in new buildings.
The decision is the first to disagree with a previous ruling that struck down Berkeley, California’s gas ban, the first such ban enacted in the U.S. The ruling also provides strong legal footing for local policies that phase out gas in buildings, according to legal experts.
The decision pertained to New York City’s Local Law 154 that sets an air emissions limit for indoor combustion of fuels in new buildings. The law effectively bans gas-burning stoves, furnaces, and water heaters, and other fossil-fuel powered appliances.
Developers of new properties in New York must install electric appliances including induction stoves and heat pumps to comply with the law. The policy went into effect in 2024 for buildings under seven stories, and will apply to taller buildings beginning in 2027.
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