Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to ban gas stoves in new buildings by 2028 – but her critics say she is full of hot air considering her gas stoves.
The pushback is targeting Hochul’s personal use of fossil fuels on gas ranges at the Executive Mansion in Albany and at her private pad in Buffalo. “The governor’s push to ban gas stoves appears to be as hypocritical as it is ridiculous,” Assembly Minority Leader William Barclay fumed.
“One has to wonder how many times she’s fired up her own gas stove since declaring them environmentally unsafe in her State of the State Address,” he added.proposal unveiled by Hochul earlier this monthHochul has argued the state must push electrification mandates for new buildings in order to implement plans to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 85% compared with 1990 levels as required by a 2019 state law championed by Albany Democrats. Critics say the gas stoves at the Executive Mansion — and the range documented in Hochul’s social media feeds — belie Hochul’s stated aim to confront climate change. “Flying in private jets and driving gas-guzzling SUVs are common sights as they fear-monger and frighten our children over climate change,” state Sen. George Borello told The Post. “If eliminating natural gas appliances and heating isn’t a priority for the political elite then why should it be for middle-class families in New York,” he asked.@kathyhochulny/Instagram Assemblyman Jarett Gandolfo noted how Hochul, the highest paid governor in the country, could accumulate more political capital for her environmental agenda by first going green at her own residences. “The governor, and anyone else in government support a ban on fossil fuel powered equipment, should lead by example. I’d like to see them remove their gas stoves and heating systems,” the GOP legislator charged. When questioned, Hochul spokeswoman Hazel Crampton-Hays didn’t tell The Post if the governor still has gas stoves at either residence. Assembly Minority Leader William Barclay called Hochul “hypocritical” for having gas stoves while pushing future bans affecting new buildings.The governor says the state can’t meet it’s carbon-emissions reduction goal unless gas stoves are phased out.“No one is taking away anyone’s gas stoves,” Crampton-Hays said about the proposal Hochul aims to get approved in the state budget due April 1. “The Governor’s proposal would not apply to existing gas stoves in homes and businesses. We are focused on continuing to advance the boldest climate policies in the nation to protect the health and safety of our children and the planet, all while lowering energy bills and prioritizing energy affordability and reliability,” Crampton-Hays added. Resistance to Hochul’s proposal is part of a wider backlash against gas stoves that was sparked weeks agoby the Consumer Product Safety Commission — and later walked back by the Biden administration. Restauranteurs have expressed concern about getting exemptions to any future restrictions on gas stoves, arguing that cooking by flame offers advantages over electric heat. Hochul floated new limits on gas use in new buildings during her State of the State address at the Capitol in Albany earlier this month.Gas also offers a level of reliability that’s hard to rival, according to Melissa Fleischut, president and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association. “The recent storms in Western New York are a perfect example, as many people hit by widespread power outages were able to have warm meals thanks to gas stoves in homes and restaurants,” she said. Hochul is expected to unveil her proposed state budget by the end of January; it’ll detail how she wants to implement her building electrification mandates and the types of exceptions that might be included. If Hochul is looking for skeptics to warm up to the idea in upcoming months, she might want to consider doing what she says in her speeches — and not what she does in her own life, according to Borello. “Perhaps the governor and other Democrats should traverse the state in Chevy Volts instead of Chevy suburbans,” Borello said.
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