The Lewiston Town Board unanimously passed a resolution supporting Congressman Nick Langworthy’s efforts to override Gov. Hochul’s natural gas ban.
The resolution, which supports the Energy Choice Act currently making its way through Congressional committees, claims that New York’s impending ban on natural gas installations for new buildings would undermine affordability, threaten energy reliability during peak demand, and strip away the ability to choose energy sources that best fit a consumer or business’s needs. It also claims the Energy Choice Act would safeguard the likes of households, farmers, hospitals, and manufacturers from this harmful government overreach.
Board members John Jacoby and Sarah Waechter, both Democrats who felt the resolution’s language was too harsh, said they still feel natural gas is a necessity for this part of New York State, given the frequent storms and lack of electric grid capacity.
“I do believe that we do have to make better choices as far as our energy consumption, but I will say that here in Western New York, we do have that issue that we do get burdened by frequent snowstorms,” Waechter said. “I do think that gas offers us an alternative for those who live in these colder climates.”
In May 2023, Hochul announced that New York would be the first state to ban natural gas appliances and heating methods in new home builds, which would go into effect starting in 2026 for buildings shorter than seven stories and 2029 for high-rises taller than that.
This past June, Langworthy, a Republican whose 23rd Congressional District extends into the Towns of Lockport and Pendleton, introduced the Energy Choice Act, which would prohibit state and local governments from limiting access to natural gas and other energy sources. The bill, which was introduced in the Senate by West Virginia Senator Jim Justice, has since been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, where no action has been taken.
The Towns of Wheatfield and Pendleton also passed resolutions supporting the bill with the exact same wording and language at their October meetings.