The Long US Goodbye to New Gas Connections and the Legal Tools States Are Using to Get There - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica discusses the evolving legal and policy landscape surrounding bans on new natural gas hookups in buildings across the United States. Initially treated as local issues related to building codes and environmental planning, these bans have become a national legal battleground, especially after the Trump Administration reframed them as federal preemption disputes. The core objective of these bans is to prevent new long-term fossil fuel infrastructure commitments in new construction, where gas service lines and appliances installed today are expected to last several decades. Importantly, these policies do not affect existing gas customers or mandate retrofits but focus on limiting future expansions of gas infrastructure. A key economic challenge highlighted is the "gas utility death spiral," a feedback loop where fixed infrastructure costs remain constant despite a shrinking customer base due to electrification and gas disconnections. Utilities recover most of their costs through fixed charges tied to infrastructure, not gas volume. As more customers switch to electric alternatives, the fixed costs are spread among fewer users, driving up rates and incentivizing