Voters Support New York’s Proposal to End Fossil Fuels in New Construction
By Sabrina Jacobs and Kevin Hanley
A new proposal in New York would enact a statewide ban on fossil fuels in new construction. The All-Electric Building Act aims to ban the use of fossil fuels for newly constructed buildings under seven stories by 2024 and for larger buildings by 2027. The act would reduce costs on home energy bills, create clean energy jobs, and improve air quality by tackling greenhouse gas emissions.
A new poll from Data for Progress finds that 66 percent of New York voters support the proposal to end new gas hookups, including 85 percent of Democrats, 64 percent of Independents, and 43 percent of Republicans.
New Yorkers feel that the state has not done enough to address climate change: 41 percent of New York voters feel that the state legislature has done too little, while only 19 percent believe that it has taken the right amount of action to address climate change. If the statewide ban on fossil fuels in new construction were to pass, it would save 4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide by 2040 — the equivalent of keeping 870,000 cars off the road for one year.
Data for Progress also finds that 55 percent of New York voters are very concerned about home energy bills. As winter begins, Con Edison has predicted a 32 percent rate increase, and the national average of home heating costs is set to spike by 28 percent.
The All-Electric Building Act would save residents of new homes nearly $1,000 on home heating bills annually, which would be a great help to many New Yorkers. If enacted, it would be the biggest win yet for a growing movement of localities and states ending gas in new construction.
Clearly, New York voters are in favor of the All-Electric Building Act. Passing this important piece of legislation would go a long way in protecting the environment and lowering home energy costs.
Sabrina Jacobs is a digital fellow at Data for Progress.
Kevin Hanley is a polling analyst at Data for Progress.