"San Jose realtor Ana Maria Russo said residents should be allowed to choose. "Yet again, the middle class gets stepped on and shoved to the side," Russo said."
The Bay Area Air District received hundreds of public comments on a proposed ban on purchasing natural gas water heaters, scheduled to start Jan. 1. The board postponed its discussion because comments took about four hours. Executive Director Philip Fine recommended a modified version to address affordability concerns, including exemptions for low-income residents and homeowners spending more than 28% of their income on their mortgage. Contractors could also receive exemptions when electrical or space constraints would make installation unusually expensive. Fine recommended delaying implementation until Oct. 1. The ban aims to reduce nitrogen oxide levels in the Bay Area. Students, elected officials, church leaders, and environmentalists provided input, with some supporting cleaner air and others arguing for consumer choice and protection of the middle class.
#air-quality-policy #natural-gas-water-heaters #nitrogen-oxides #affordability-exemptions #bay-area-regulation
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