May 16th, 2023
by The Sun News Team
WASHINGTON, D.C. | Congresswoman Elise Stefanik led the New York Republican Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, strongly urging her to reverse the ban on natural gas appliances that was included in the passed FY 2024 New York State Budget.
“I am especially concerned about how this ban will affect rural communities in my district. This draconian government overreach infringes upon New Yorkers’ basic rights and will prove to be disastrous for Upstate New York and the North Country,” Stefanik said May 16, calling the measure ‘one of the worst parts of the budget’.
In the letter, Congresswoman Stefanik and the New York Republican delegation state, “Natural gas appliances give hard-working families an affordable way to cook their meals and heat their homes. Not only are natural gas appliances the preferred appliances for many New Yorkers, they also are reliable and can be critical during emergency situations.”
With the FY 2024 budget of $229 billion, New York is the first state in the country to pass an unconstitutional law banning natural gas appliances. This is an unacceptable and dangerous precedent for New York to set. Specifically, this ban applies to new homes and buildings of seven stories or less in 2026, with a ban for larger buildings starting in 2029. The ban would:
- Limit New Yorkers’ energy options
- Drastically increase energy prices and inhibit affordability of appliances
- Force New Yorkers to rely on unreliable sources of power
- Cause a tremendous strain on the electric grid
- Put rural communities at risk
- Drive up utility and construction costs and
- Potentially be replicated by other states
Stefanik was joined by Representatives Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Nick Lalota (R-NY), Nicholas Langworthy (R-NY), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Brandon Williams (R-NY), Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY), Marc Molinaro (R-NY), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY).
View the full article from The Sun Community News here.
