By 7-5 votes, the South Coast Air Quality Control District on Friday rejected a controversial measure aimed at reducing air pollution by imposing additional charges that could make natural gas-powered water heaters and furnaces more expensive.
In a vote to reject the action, AQMD board member Janet Nguyen said the rules would unnecessarily punish people by increasing the costs of appliances.
“I support clean air just like everyone here,” said Nguyen, who also works as an Orange County supervisor. “But we must pursue environmental progress without punishing those who serve today, and these rules do not target refineries or shipping ports.
Board member Holly Mitchell took the other side and said rules were needed to improve the air quality of the country’s most smogh air basin.
“We have to make tough decisions about greater profits every day,” Mitchell said. “I think we need to do what we can as quickly as possible.
The AQMD steering committee vote follows Friday’s warning from US lawyer Bill Essayri in Los Angeles, which suggests that lawsuits that prevent the use of domestic energy resources face legal challenges by his firm.
“California regulators have been notified. If we pass an illegal prohibition or penalty on gas appliances, we will meet you in court,” the essay said in X.
During the six-hour hearing before the vote, environmental advocates supported a squared measure against Southern California gas, the country’s largest gas utility, and others who said the measure would make gas appliances affordable and put a heavy burden on the already stressful electric grid.
“It would be a devastating economic blow to our lowest-income, senior vulnerable citizens,” said Bob Kerwin, Mayor of Menifee, Riverside County. “If electricity is better, cheaper, faster, safer, people will choose it for themselves.”
Lynwood City Councilman Juan Muñoz Gervala retorted that clean air standards would not be reached without action.
“The gas appliances in our home are currently one of the largest sources of smog formation contamination in the area,” Munoz Gervala said. “The proposed rules are a long and long step towards environmental justice. They will start saving lives and correcting decades of pollution burden for frontline communities.”
The measures denied Friday would have charged a pollution mitigation fee on manufacturers selling gas furnaces and water heaters in the area. The amount of these fees will depend on the compliance of the electricity and water heater manufacturer.
To achieve its target, 30% of manufacturers’ sales had to be made up of zero emissions models from 2027. This will increase to 50% in 2029 and ultimately increase by 90% by 2036.
Under the regulations, manufacturers will be charged $100 for each gas furnace and $50 for all gas water heaters sold within the Target. For sales exceeding the cap, you will pay $500 and $250, respectively. According to the Aviation District, the proceeds from these fees will be used to help pay for zero emission equipment, especially in underprivileged communities.
The rules are expected to significantly improve the installation of zero-emission heating devices in Southern California, gradually replacing some of the region’s 10 million gas furnaces and heating units. This policy applies to jurisdictions in air districts, including parts of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Once fully implemented, they were expected to prevent the release of 6 tons of smog-forming nitrogen nitrogen every day. It is also expected to avoid around 2,500 premature births and more than 10,000 new cases of asthma, according to the aviation district.
The Governance Committee ultimately agreed to consider alternatives, including those that would culminate in a 50% sales target for electricity and water heaters. However, air district officials said it is unlikely that the issue will return to the governing committee this year.
Prior to the vote, the airline area was flooded with over 14,000 public comments. Most of them opposed the new rules, with over 100 people packing the headquarters of Diamond Bar’s Aviation District for Friday’s vote.
Environmental advocates sat in a gallery holding signs that read, “Delays are fatal” and “Clean Air Now.” They shared a room with business representatives who opposed the rules and elected local officials.
Many opponents argued that heat pumps are thousands of dollars more expensive than gas furnaces. However, air district officials pointed out that heat pumps are dual purpose appliances that provide heating and cooling that can replace furnaces and air conditioning. According to the Aviation District, replacing both appliances when viewed through that lens can save homeowners money.
For decades, Southern California has not complied with smog federal air quality standards. The failed regulations were one of the latest actions designed to reduce smog formation emissions from gas appliances. Last year, the board voted to enact new rules that phase out gas-fueled heating systems.
Regulations aimed at transitioning from gas appliances in recent years have been more politically charged, with many elected Republican officials pledging to combat rules prohibiting the sale of gas appliances, such as stoves.
