On February 14, NFIB Michigan submitted comments to the Ann Arbor Planning Commission opposing an ordinance that would ban all gas appliance hook ups in newly built homes and businesses.
Banning gas appliances in new construction is just one step that some lawmakers in Michigan and across the country are considering as a part of an extreme environmental agenda to eliminate all non-renewable forms of fuel. While this goal can be seen as laudable, it is widely considered by a variety of experts to be both dangerous and costly to do so at this point. Like many states, Michigan’s electrical infrastructure would require a major upgrade in order to accommodate the spike in usage that would come from eliminating gas appliances in homes and businesses as well as a ban on gas powered engines. Without this upgrade, mandates like the one proposed in Ann Arbor, could be disastrous to the city as well as surrounding areas.
Being a northern state, adequate heating is a concern for a good portion of the year. Electric heating in homes and businesses, costs, on average, 65% more than natural gas. Between inflation and supply chain issues, let alone current fuel price increases, this jump in heating costs would be difficult for most small businesses to bear. Finally, recent winter storms have served as a clear reminder about the danger of depending solely on electricity for heat, cooking, or transportation.
States like California, Oregon, New York, and others have all had discussed banning gas appliances in new construction and some of their cities, including New York City, have followed through. In addition, California has banned all small gas-powered engines, from cars to lawn mowers by 2024.
In 2022, 95% of NFIB members gave a resounding NO when asked “Should states or local governments adopt ordinances which ban the use of types or sources of energy?”
NFIB Michigan will continue to fight against costly mandates and regulations on fuel and advocate for policies that balance cost and reliability with environmental stewardship.
>>> Read NFIB Michigan’s Comments HERE. <<<
