In one of the biggest steps to reduce air pollution in the past decade, Southern California air regulators passed a rule Friday that will require pool and hot tub owners to use electric ones.
The governing board of the South Coastal Air Quality Management District voted 9-1 to effectively eliminate certain types of natural gas-fired water-heating appliances in homes and businesses in parts of its four county jurisdictions — Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino.
Rule It would replace more than 1 million gas-burning appliances over three decades — including an estimated 700,000 pool heaters and 300,000 tankless water heaters — with zero-emissions technology. It would also apply to 70,000 commercial water heaters in businesses such as dry cleaners, restaurants, hotels and hospitals.
This does not apply to residential water heaters with tanks, which are Separately regulated for decades,
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The regulation is expected to prevent emissions of 5.6 tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxides per day by the time it is fully implemented in 2058. That’s the largest reduction in pollution from stationary sources since the air district passed it. 2021 rule for better pollution control in oil refineriesThe rule would also reduce planet-warming carbon emissions, equivalent to removing 1.2 million cars from the road for a year.
“This is not only a huge step toward improving air quality for our communities, but it will also have tremendous public health benefits,” said Vanessa Delgado, Chairwoman of the South Coast AQMD Governing Board.
This regulation is a cornerstone The Air District’s Ambitious Rulemaking The calendar is expected to be released this year The smog-filled region of the country would move closer to complying with federal air-quality standards by 2037. According to the air district, the new regulation achieves about 10% of the emissions reduction needed to meet that federal benchmark.
Environmental groups gathered outside the meeting applauded the decision to pass the rule.
“When it comes to our industrial sector, we don’t need to boil the earth to boil water,” said Adrian Martinez, an attorney with Earthjustice, an environmental nonprofit. “With this important rule, Southern California is set to replace more than one million gas-powered appliances with zero-emissions technology. This is a major step in our region’s fight to clean the air for more than 17 million people and invest in zero-emissions solutions.”
This rule is in line with the current Building standards prohibiting the installation of most gas-powered appliances In newly constructed buildings. For new buildings, the installation of small gas-powered units will be banned starting in 2026. Restrictions on large gas-powered units and pool heaters will begin in 2027, and high-temperature units in 2029.
Gas-fired water heaters will be banned in existing buildings when these appliances reach a certain age from 2029 to 2057. For homes and small businesses, there will be some flexibility; gas-fired water heaters can be replaced at the end of their useful life, regardless of their age.
There are exemptions for equipment that is rarely used, and there is also the possibility of exemptions in special circumstances such as construction delays or emergencies.
The air sector estimates that the cost of converting to zero-emission equipment, including installation and electricity, would be $49 million to $79 million per year. These changes would create about 1,000 jobs.
To reduce costs, the air district will offer rebates to help homeowners and businesses that install zero-emission water heaters. The district says the rebate program will focus on the most polluted communities.
Business leaders said the rule would hit businesses whose livelihoods depend on affordable access to hot water. Electric water heaters and boilers are several times more expensive than natural gas models, according to Jackie Romero, government affairs director for the California Restaurant Association.
“Our industry was one of the most restricted during the COVID pandemic, and unfortunately, many operators are facing those challenges Financial difficulties“Our operators can’t afford the costs that go into this,” Romero said.
However, environmental advocates insist that ambitious regulation is needed to encourage the production of zero-emissions devices and drive down prices.
Martinez, the Earthjustice attorney, said radical policies like these give him hope the region will win the election. The long-running battle against pollution,
“I think we will exceed expectations on zero emissions,” Martinez said. “This is an area that has a lot of talent. And we will see clean technology companies rise to the challenge of meeting zero-emissions standards.”
