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Southern California air regulators reject rules to phase out gas furnaces and water heaters
- On June 6, 2025, the governing board of the regional air quality agency overseeing parts of Southern California voted against two proposed regulations that aimed to boost the use of electric heating systems in the area.
- The rejection followed years of rule amendments starting from 1978, aimed at phasing out gas-powered furnaces and water heaters and reducing nitrogen oxide pollution by setting gradual zero-emission sales targets from 2030 to 2036.
- The proposed rules would have applied fees to manufacturers selling gas appliances, funding rebates for zero-emission alternatives and were projected to prevent thousands of asthma cases, lost school days, and premature deaths annually.
- Michael Krause, AQMD’s rule planning manager, cautioned that failing to comply with Clean Air Act requirements could result in sanctions, while critics including SoCal Gas contended that the regulations would reduce the variety of options available to consumers and drive up the cost of appliances.
- The board decided to refer the proposal to the committee for additional review, postponing its implementation amid conflicting public views and the ongoing challenge of balancing air quality improvements with cost and consumer concerns.
41 Articles
41 Articles
Activists say new rule puts cost of air pollution on Texas motorists
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is seeking public input on a controversial rule change for how to pay industry fees for ozone nonattainment. The Houston-Galveston-Brazoria metro area is considered to be in "severe nonattainment" of the Environmental Protection Agency's 2008 ozone pollution standard.
LA Daily News
Air quality regulator rejects controversial plan to phase out gas furnaces, water heaters
The proposal would have incentivized gas-powered appliance manufacturers to increase the availability of electric appliances, or face mitigation fees.
Associated Press News
Southern California air regulators reject rules to phase out gas furnaces and water heaters
Air quality regulators in Southern California have rejected rules that would have curbed harmful emissions from gas-powered furnaces and water heaters.
Should polluters pay? California's climate 'superfund' plan may have stalled
In summary Proposed legislation hasn’t moved out of the state Assembly or Senate, raising questions about how far California will go in its efforts to make oil and gas companies pay for climate damage. In the battle over how to pay for damage wrought by climate change, California lawmakers had an idea: Create a “superfund” that makes big polluters pay. The Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act of 2025 would make the world’s largest sources of gree…
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