SAN FRANCISCO – The Bay Area Air Quality Management District Board of Directors has adopted amendments to Regulation 9, Rules 4 and 6 to eliminate emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from residential and commercial natural gas furnaces and water heaters in the Bay Area. be free.
Emissions from natural gas building appliances cause a similar amount of NOx pollution to passenger vehicles in the Bay Area. As a group, they are among the largest emitters of nitrogen oxides of all stationary air pollution sources regulated by the Air District.
“The Bay Area’s 1.8 million water heaters and furnaces significantly impact our air quality, leading to dozens of early deaths and a variety of health impacts, particularly in communities of color,” said Dr. Philip Fine, managing director of the air district. “This groundbreaking regulation will phase out the most polluting devices in homes and businesses to protect Bay Area residents from the harmful air pollution they cause.”
The rule changes would only apply to new devices and would not require the immediate replacement of existing devices. They also do not apply to appliances used for cooking, such as: B. Gas stoves. NOx-emitting natural gas furnaces and water heaters will be phased out over time, starting with water heaters in 2027. The rule changes will improve overall regional air quality through outdoor ventilation of these appliances and reduce exposure to particulate matter, particularly in communities They account for up to $890 million per year in health impacts due to exposure to air pollution. NOx emissions affect local and regional air quality and contribute to the formation of ozone and particulate matter (PM2.5).
Exposure to NOx is associated with coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, asthma, and increased susceptibility to respiratory infections. Exposure to particulate matter has been linked to asthma and other respiratory diseases, neurological diseases, heart attack, stroke, lung cancer and premature death. The new changes will protect public health from the dangers of these pollutants and prevent an estimated 85 premature deaths and dozens of new asthma cases in the Bay Area each year.
The air district released a draft environmental impact report and sought comments on the proposed rule changes during a 45-day public comment period that ended Feb. 6. Compliance dates are between 2027 and 2031, depending on device type, use and size. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is the regional agency responsible for protecting air quality and the global climate in the nine-county Bay Area. For more information, visit www.baaqmd.gov/building-appliances.
