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Dear Friend,
New York City Council voted this afternoon to enact a gas ban on new construction. This is a MASSIVE victory and a major step away from fossil fuels. Read the NYTimes coverage here.
In case you missed our message from last week, we have been organizing towards this victory for months with our allies. But the work is still far from over.
Donate now to support our undefeated climate change & inequality team!
We want to ensure that this gas ban is implemented without any harm done to our communities, and we also want to strengthen the policy for the future so that we can deliver a ban in all new buildings and all gut renovations.
With your support, we will go all the way away from fossil fuels! Click here to donate.
Late last night, negotiations for legislation banning gas hookups in new buildings in New York City concluded. And we won. New York City will soon ban the use of gas in new construction. This huge win fights climate change, creates jobs, and cuts air pollution.
The bill, Introduction 2317, ends gas use in small buildings under seven stories tall in two years (end 2023/beginning 2024), starting on new permit applications, and ends gas use in large buildings over seven stories in five years (2027). While it does not deliver a ban in one year on all new buildings and all gut renovations, it's nonetheless a massive shift away from fossil fuels.
The #GasFreeNYC coalition, led by us and our allies—NYPIRG, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, and Food & Water Watch—championed this gas ban legislation for months, and issued the following statement today:
“Our climate movement is winning. The nation’s largest city is about to end gas hookups in new buildings and set a big precedent for other cities and states to follow. As climate action stalls at the federal and international level, New York City is leading the way on fighting climate change, cutting air pollution, and creating good jobs. The evidence is clear: an immediate shift to requiring gas-free buildings is both feasible and necessary. We have the technology and the skills to build all-electric buildings, many of which are already built or under construction across the city.
We applaud the leadership of Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel, who introduced the bill and fought hard against industry efforts to weaken it. We also thank Mayor de Blasio and Speaker Johnson for their support. Most of all we thank the activists, organizations, and experts who made this pioneering victory possible. We call on the City Council to pass Introduction 2317 and officially end the use of gas in new construction. The devastation caused by Hurricane Ida in New York City this year was a painful reminder that delaying climate action is lethal for New Yorkers. Additionally, this legislation will prevent the use of future gas infrastructure in homes that contributes to poor air quality and therefore causes respiratory and cardiovascular illness.
We also urge the state legislature and Governor Hochul to pass the fossil-free building legislation (S6843A/A8431) introduced by Senator Brian Kavanagh and Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, which would end fossil fuel use in new construction in one year for all of New York State.”
This is how we get to a Green New Deal for New York. When we fight, we win!
In solidarity,
NYCC Climate Change & Inequality Team
