The Washington State Building Code Council Pumps the Brakes on Electrification Mandate, Giving Propane Companies a Breath of Fresh Air

The Washington State Building Code Council just hit the pause button on their statewide mandate for electric heat pumps in new buildings. Why is this? It turns out that a coalition, including our very own National Propane Gas Association (NPGA), filed a lawsuit that put a temporary hold on this electrifying plan. That is great news!

The council, in a not-so-surprising 8-2 vote, decided to delay the implementation of the heat pump mandate. Thanks to NPGA and its fellow fighters, which include three gas utilities, homebuilders and labor associations, and even a lone homeowner, the code enforcers had no choice but to reconsider their decision. These courageous souls took the matter to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington and demanded a permanent injunction against the restrictions on gas in new buildings.

In a positive turn of events, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals recently overturned Berkeley’s gas connection ban, which probably added some extra weight to our coalition’s arguments. The council must have thought, “Well, if Berkeley can’t ban gas, maybe we should think twice about it too.”

Now, before you get too excited, it’s important to note that the council cited “legal risk” as the main reason for this delay. However, the council has promised to revisit the building codes in the meantime. They want to make sure these new codes are as sturdy as a propane tank in a gusty windstorm. Safety first!

Jackson Maynard, the General Counsel for the Building Industry Association of Washington, summed it up perfectly when he said, “Hey, Washington state, let’s follow the same law as our buddies in California!” We couldn’t agree more, Jackson. Propane industry insiders like us know that gas bans and electrification mandates, just like the one the council tried to push, not only limit consumer energy choices but also drive up energy costs across the state. We are fortunate to have organizations such as NPGA on our side, and we have full confidence that they will continue to strongly oppose any similar efforts that infringe on our energy freedoms.