Federal legislation that aims to override New York’s pending ban on natural gas from new building and home construction passed the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday.

This makes the Energy Choice Act eligible for consideration by the whole House of Representatives. The bill would block states or local governments from banning specific energy sources like natural gas or propane in new construction.

The legislation, which was approved by the committee on a 24-21 vote, was introduced by western New York Republican Rep. Nick Langworthy as a response to the state’s All-Electric Buildings Act, which was tucked in the state budget in 2023 and was slated to ban new gas hookups in new buildings under seven stories starting Jan. 1. The mandate would apply to all other buildi

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