Biden Administration to Ban Gas Appliances in Fed Buildings

The Biden administration has finalized rules to ban the use of natural gas in new and renovated federal buildings, the Department of Energy announced Wednesday.

The Clean Energy for New Federal Buildings and Major Renovations of Federal Buildings Rule aims to reduce pollution, improve air quality, and create good-paying jobs, among other benefits according to the government's press release.

"The Biden-Harris administration is practicing what we preach," Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said of her agency's rule. "Just as we are helping households and businesses across the nation save money by saving energy, we are doing the same in our own federal buildings."

"President Biden has charged the federal government to lead by example by transforming its footprint of more than 300,000 buildings to be more energy efficient and climate resilient, which means cleaner air and safer communities across the country," said White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory.

The new rule requires federal agencies to phase out the use of fossil fuels in new and renovated federal buildings by 2025 and completely eliminate on site usage in new projects by 2030.

"Today's action will help our federal government achieve President Biden's ambitious federal sustainability goals while creating good-paying jobs, saving taxpayers money, and building healthier, more resilient communities," Mallory added.

The new rule follows previous state mandates in New York City and Los Angeles that have similarly banned gas appliances from new constructions homes.

The ban comes in stark contradiction to previous Biden administration statements. In 2023, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, "The president does not support banning gas stoves. And the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is independent, is not banning gas stoves."

The Department of Energy estimates that the new mandate will reduce carbon emissions from federal buildings by 2 million metric tons during the next 30 years, or the equivalent to the emissions from 310,000 homes in one year.

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