Dear Editor,
Regarding the February 17, 2023 article on Sullivan lawmakers opposing the All Electric Buildings Act.
On the side of my trusty Coleman camp stove, there is a warning label: “Using it inside can kill you.” And yet many persist with the fiction that cooking indoors over an open flame is safe.
We have known for nearly 50 years that it is not. Open flames, like those on gas stoves, produce byproducts like Carbon Monoxide and Nitrogen oxide (NOX), which are hazardous to human health. The NOX from indoor gas cooking stoves alone causes nearly 20% of childhood asthma in NY State.
While a properly sized and outdoor vented stove hood can lessen some of the impacts, it still doesn’t eliminate the risk. Most people don’t turn on their hood vents when cooking, and many renters don’t have that option. The All-Electric Buildings Act looks forward to ensuring that all new buildings are healthy, by eliminating fossil fuels inside the home for new construction. A recent study by the think tank Win Climate showed that these buildings also save their owners money, from day one.
While I realize change is sometimes scary, a future that is more affordable and more healthy for everyone seems like something we should all be in favor of.
Sincerely,
Sean Dague
Town of Lagrange
The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Mid-Hudson News.
