New York’s first-in-the-nation ban on natural-gas hookups means gas-fired heaters and appliances will no longer be installed in new homes and businesses, starting in 2026 for buildings of seven stories or less.
They’ll be built instead with heat pumps, geothermal systems and electric appliances, with some exceptions for gas use.
What the future ban won’t do, in spite of the political clamor after lawmakers passed it in the state budget this month, is endanger anyone’s gas stove. It doesn’t affect existing gas hookups, or the boilers, furnaces and appliances they supply − or the owner’s ability to replace those products when they conk out.
The shift toward construction of all-electric homes and businesses is part of the state’s aggressive push to curb the use of fossil fuels and their planet-warming emissions. Fumes from buildings, particularly gas- and oil-burning heating systems, account for about 30% of the state’s greenhouse gases, according to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
Opponents have framed it as a “gas stove ban,” stoking outrage for America’s culture wars. Here are some details about the ban and important context.
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What does it do?
The halt on gas connections for newly built homes and businesses of seven stories or less starts at the beginning of 2026. For taller buildings, and for businesses larger than 100,000 square feet, the ban begins in 2029.
There is no future prohibition on gas-powered products in the budget. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s initial plan this year would have stopped the sale of gas heating equipment – not stoves – in two stages in 2030 and 2035, but that part was removed from the final version the state adopted.
The ban has quite a few exceptions. New gas connections will be allowed for manufacturing facilities,…
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