New York has become the first state in the country to ban natural gas stoves after the state Legislature approved a new state budget that includes a prohibition on fossil fuel combustion in most new buildings starting in 2026.
The final vote followed weeks of what Gov. Kathy Hochul called “very intense” negotiations that led to the May 2 passage of the $229 billion state budget, which includes a ban on gas stoves, furnaces, and propane heating in favor of appliances such as heat pumps and electric stoves.
Republican leaders in the state Senate criticized the measure, saying it would drive up utility bills and housing costs.
Hochul said in an appearance on FOX 5’s “Good Day New York” on May 2 that the passage of the budget caps—a weeks-long process of closed-door talks—involved “a lot of give and take, a lot of strong feelings, a lot of emotion” around topics that included the natural gas ban.
The measure prohibits the installation of fossil fuel equipment in new buildings under seven stories by 2026 and by 2029 in taller ones, effectively requiring all-electric heating and cooking.
There are exemptions for places such as hospitals, manufacturing facilities, and restaurants. Existing buildings are also exempt from the ban.
“Everybody who has a gas stove—enjoy it. Keep your gas stove,” Hochul said. “But new buildings that are going up, they can go electric, they can do heat pumps.”
The provisions of the new budget deal will help meet the goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), state Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie said in a statement.
The spending plan will establish a “climate action fund” that will gather revenues generated from CLCPA regulations and channel that to various projects related to climate change.
The new budget also authorizes the New York Power Authority to build renewable energy projects and creates the Renewable Energy Access and Community Help (REACH) program that will subsidize electric power and energy for lower-income residents.
“Changing the ways we make and use energy to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels will help ensure a healthier environment for us and our children,” Heastie said in a statement.
Around 3 in 5 households in New York state rely on natural gas for heating, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Critics of the law have argued that it restricts consumer choice and will send utility bills higher, since electricity is more expensive than natural gas in much of New York.