10/18/2025
For those who don't know, NYS is set to ban the installation of any fossil fuels into new builds starting January 1, 2026. This includes propane cooking appliances which is primarily what we find here in the Hudson Valley. Rest assured existing structures are safe, for now. You can replace your gas stove with a gas stove as per the current law.
However, new builds in the area will be forced into induction stoves only with an average 40% cost increase over a more-basic all-gas stove. I wrote a letter which I signed and mailed to Governor Kathy Hochul asking her to consider the rural part of the state where we rely on propane. Propane is much cleaner burning than natural gas. Transitioning the entire state, including the rural parts, to electric-only will have increased monetary costs and emissions from electricity production that will outweigh the environmental cost of propane use.
In my letter I urge Governor Hochul to leave propane for cooking or allow the county governments to make the bans independently, depending on their density and reliance on natural gas. At least until we have a cleaner source of energy than the fossil fuel power plants that would provide the energy for our now "green" homes.
Lucas Ackerman
Ackerman's Appliance
Dear Governor Hochul,
I hope this letter finds you well. I write today to tell you my story and give you some insight into the appliance industry that you may not have already. My name is Lucas Ackerman. I run my family's appliance store that has been in business for almost 50 years: Ackerman's Appliance. We are a very small business. My mother and I run the office. I handle all of our sales. We have two service technicians that make repairs who as far as we're concerned are part of the family.
We don't carry many brands, just a few specialty ones. But the few brands we do carry don't make traditional electric stoves anymore; not since the introduction of induction. Induction cooking is a fantastic technology: fast to heat, cooks perfectly evenly, easy-to-clean glass top, and better for the environment to run (before taking into account the electronic boards needed and how those metals are extracted, but that's a different conversation). If everybody could afford induction it would allow everybody to have the best technology out there: induction surface burners and electric oven. And that's where I'm going with this: cost to consumer.
All-gas stoves are the least expensive option for a full range cooking appliance.
The next tier of stove is called a dual-fuel. This is a gas burning top with an electric oven. The electric oven is a premium, sought after product. It's cooks more evenly with far greater temperature accuracy. But there is a hefty price increase to go with it. For a lot of my brands it's over a 30% price increase. For some other brands (like the one with our entry level gas range), a dual fuel range is an over 55% increase!
The induction ranges are built into the dual-fuel chassis. All of the great features of that electric oven are improved upon with induction burners over gas burners. That means it's even more of a premium range, over a more basic all-gas range. In general, the jump from an all-gas range to an induction is an over 40% price increase.
"So don't carry only high-end. Start carrying more normal brands." Fair point. But let me tell you about the internet-effect: when the internet marketplaces boomed and people were able to buy appliances online it allowed certain retailers to grow to reach all parts of the country through superior distribution. This allowed them to sell at the lowest price, by far. It got to the point where appliance manufacturers had to implement the lowest sales price, by contract, that companies were allowed to sell at. It forced us to sell at that price in order to compete with online retailers, significantly lowering the margin on the sale. The next effect it had was service/repair. The internet companies had no repair side to their business. For a long time there were independent repair companies who did very well for themselves. However, after costs of living rose in the state throughout the 2000's through today, those companies, at least in the rural parts of New York where I am, are all out of business. You simply can't charge enough for a repair to make a living independently once you take insurance, vehicles, and parts stock into account. That means for residents in this area there is zero service support for nearly 50 miles outside of local appliance dealers who service the products they’ve sold. People are able to save up and come to us, buy a product that we stand by, and will continue to stand by and repair for the life of the stove.
This ban on gas stoves will cost the consumer over 40% more, further increasing the cost of living in this state. We beg for relief from these rising costs, not further stress. While deemed legal by the Northern District federal court I urge you to reconsider a state-wide ban and leave this in the hands of county government. In 2022, the EPA released a finding that residential AND commercial sectors accounted for 13% total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions when compared to the transportation, agriculture, electric power, and industry sectors. They also went on to include that the emissions in the residential AND commercial sector emissions "increase substantially when emissions from electricity end-use are included, due to the relatively large share of electricity use (e.g., heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; lighting; and appliances) in these sectors." [https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/inventory-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks]. In 2024, the EPA calculated updated numbers for CO2 [please excuse improper formatting due to font limitations in this email] emissions in metric ton per home. They found that the average home in the United States produces 7.45 metric tons CO2. Electricity usage accounted for 4.798 metric tons of CO2/home. Natural gas accounted for 2.16 metric tons CO2/home. Propane accounted for 0.24 metric tons of CO2/home [https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator-calculations-and-references]. Propane accounted for 3.22% of CO2 emissions/home while natural gas accounted for 28.99% of CO2 emissions/home. It's very clear natural gas accounts for a large percentage of CO2 emissions and should be phased out. However propane is significantly cleaner burning. Furthermore, propane burning stoves are significantly less expensive than all-electric induction stoves that would contribute to the 64.40% of CO2 emissions/home in the US.
Here's my challenge to you: don’t include propane in the gas ban or allow counties to make gas bans independently. Urban dense counties can ban natural gas and go all electric should they choose. The more rural counties can ban natural gas in favor of propane and help keep our cost of living from pricing out those of us who remain in this state because we love it. We love our towns, we love the beauty of Upstate New York, and we love the deep roots we have established here. There's nowhere else in the country I'd rather live but my family and our family store will be among the long-time residents uprooted due to policy changes made with New York City as the priority and rural counties expended.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I don't expect any response but would appreciate the careful consideration of the rest of your constituents.
Sincerely,
Lucas Ackerman
Ackerman's Appliance
