True, Orange County opposes the scam of forcing people to get rid of well working, paid for gas powered water heaters, to instead spend hundreds of dollars on an electric water heater, that may not work as well. In fact, most Californians are opposed to this scam to make major corporations rich and families poorer. This is about making money for corporations, friends and donors to corrupt politicians—not about efficiency, the climate or other scam excuse.
“The biggest concern echoed by local elected officials is how much the switch from gas to electric heaters could cost residents – up to $7,000 for water heaters, according to the regional air quality management district.
Now the proposal has been amended to gradually dial back how many gas powered water heaters and furnace manufacturers can sell.
Proponents like environmentalist groups say a transition to zero emission appliances will reduce air pollution and prevent thousands of premature deaths, emergency room visits and onset asthma.
Margee Hills, vice chair of the regional Sierra Club and a Brea resident, said the changes reduce pollution that is causing global warming and would save residents money in the long term.
Total lies—who has $7,000 for a scam? Climate change? This will have zero affect on the climate. Want to find corrupt government officials? Easy! Look at those who made the decision to force you to spend $7,000, needlessly.
Orange County Opposes Proposed Regional Gas-Powered Water Heater Crackdown
by Hosam Elattar and Gigi Gradillas, Voice of OC, 4/23/25 https://voiceofoc.org/2025/04/orange-county-opposes-proposed-regional-gas-powered-water-heater-crackdown/
More officials across Orange County are joining the increasing push back in Southern California against a regional air quality board’s plan that initially proposed to ban the sale of new gas-powered water heaters and furnaces.
The biggest concern echoed by local elected officials is how much the switch from gas to electric heaters could cost residents – up to $7,000 for water heaters, according to the regional air quality management district.
Now the proposal has been amended to gradually dial back how many gas powered water heaters and furnace manufacturers can sell.
Proponents like environmentalist groups say a transition to zero emission appliances will reduce air pollution and prevent thousands of premature deaths, emergency room visits and onset asthma.
Margee Hills, vice chair of the regional Sierra Club and a Brea resident, said the changes reduce pollution that is causing global warming and would save residents money in the long term.
“They will help reduce indoor air pollution as well as reduce nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere which are leading to global warming,” she said at the April 8 Anaheim City Council meeting.
“Investing in gas free appliances not only helps the environment but also leads to substantial financial savings.”
It’s a move that city council members in Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, Fullerton,Fountain Valley, San Clemente,Dana Point,Yorba Linda, Brea, Lake Forest and Villa Parkare opposing with many arguing it will burden residents with expensive costs to transition electric appliances.
Many elected leaders also say it should be up to residents if they want to opt for electronic appliances, not a mandate.
They also say the public is not aware of these proposed regulations that could impact them.
Earlier this month, Anaheim City Council members unanimously approved a resolution opposing the air quality district’s proposed rules to regulate emissions from gas-powered water heaters and furnaces.
“The reason they are amending the rules as they go along, is because cities, counties, residents have raised so many questions and concerns,” said Councilwoman Norma Kurtz, who requested the resolution.
“I applaud the need to clean our air. I don’t have any problem with that, but my concern is the cost to residents, whether they be homeowners or renters and our businesses.”
The increasing pushback from officials in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties has forced South Coast Air Quality Management District officials and staff to make revisions to the proposed ban.
Now, regional air quality leaders responsible for improving air quality in a region home to 17 million people are looking at creating compliance goals for manufacturers in the area to decrease the amount of new gas-powered appliances they sell rather than a ban.
Susan Nakamura, chief operating officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, said the proposals have been significantly amended and people will still have a choice to use gas-powered appliances.
“We received over 12,000 comments on the proposed amended rules, and as a result, we have modified significantly the proposal. There is no mandate for zero emissions in the proposed amended rules,” she told Fountain Valley city council members at a meeting earlier this month.
“There is a ramping up of more zero (emission units) as time goes on but even through the whole implementation of the rule, a consumer can still choose a gas unit.”
Nakamura also said the region has the worst air quality in the nation and they proposed these regulations because they have to meet state and federal standards.
After her comments, a majority of Fountain Valley officials still narrowly voted to approve a resolution in opposition to the proposed rules.
Rainbow Yeung, a public affairs specialist for the air quality district, said in a Monday email that not meeting federal air quality standards can lead to sanctions “including the loss of tens of millions of federal highway funds in our region.”
“The proposed regulations will result in approximately 6 tons per day (Nitrogen Oxide) reductions which is ~ 10 percent of the total stationary/area source emissions in our region which are the sources we have authority to regulate,” Yeung wrote.
Yeung said they have to cut 67% of nitrogen oxide emissions in the region to meet federal standards.
She also said that they have held hundreds of community meetings and expanded outreach to inform the public about the proposals.
Regional air quality leaders are expected to consider the proposed rules at a public hearing on June 6.
The air quality district’s proposed changes come after a state board decided a couple years ago to implement a similar ban by the turn of the decade.
In 2022, the California Air Resources Board voted to ban the sale of new gas-powered water heaters and furnaces starting in 2030.
The Revised Proposal & Costs
Under the revised proposal, 30% of water heaters and furnaces sold in the region would have to be zero emission appliances by 2027-2028.
That threshold would increase over the years and by 2036, 90% of the water heaters and furnaces sold in the region would have to be electric.
The proposal would also require manufacturers to pay $100 for all gas furnaces and $50 for all gas water heaters after 2027 as part of a mitigation fee.
They would also have to pay $500 for every gas powered furnace and $250 for every gas powered water heater that exceeds the year’s threshold and get a discounted fee if they meet the zero emission threshold.
The money collected from the fee could go toward helping fund the Go Zero initiative – a $21 million pilot incentive program by the South Coast Air Quality Management District to offer rebates to families and small businesses that convert to zero emission appliances.
At the same time, regional air quality officials estimate it will cost $19,000 for a single family home to buy, make any electrical upgrades and install a zero emission space heater and $19,000 to install a gas space heater for a single family home.
For a multifamily home it is estimated to cost between $5,000 to $10,000 for a zero emission space heater and between $3,000 to $8,000 for a gas heater.
Regional air quality officials estimate it will cost $4,000 to $7,000 to buy, make any electrical upgrades and install a zero emission water heater and $3,300 to buy and install a gas water heater.
More OC Cities Pushback on Proposal
In recent weeks, elected officials throughout Orange County cities have been taking stands against the water heater proposal.
During a city council meeting on March 4, Huntington Beach City Council members voted unanimously to send a letter of opposition to the South Coast Air Quality Management District, citing concerns over cost – especially for senior and low-income residents.
“Policies that force an abrupt transition away from natural gas without addressing the associated cost, infrastructure challenges and equity impacts will create significant hardships for the citizens of Huntington Beach and beyond,” Councilman Butch Twining said.
At the Fullerton City Council meeting, council members voted 3-2 in opposition of the proposal on regulating gas-powered water heaters and furnaces.
Councilman Ahmad Zahra, one of the two dissenting votes, reassured residents that there’s not a local imposition on gas powered appliances.
“If we are looking at this from a public health stance, and we’re thinking about our air pollution, which is high here in Orange County, that’s a fact, I think we should either stay out of this discussion for now, or in my opinion I think we should support public health. It’s important,” Councilman Ahmad Zahra said at the March 4 meeting.
According to the letter of opposition, the city council is asking air quality management district to conduct further research, public outreach and cost analysis.
“We have significant concerns regarding the scale of the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and other requirements necessary to comply with retrofits of existing commercial buildings, single family homes and multifamily residential properties, as well as the dramatic cost implications to thousands of families who call Fullerton home,” it reads.
On March 18, San Clemente city council members voted 4-1 to send a letter to the district opposing their newly proposed rules regarding banning gas-powered appliances such as furnaces and water heaters.
“I think it should be a personal choice that people should have,” said Council member Victor Cabral at the meeting. “It shouldn’t be forced by the government that you have to do it one way or the other.”
City Councilman Mark Enmeier was the lone dissenting vote, arguing that the staff report incorrectly listed the costs to replace a space heater with an electrical panel upgrade could be up $21,500 and more than $5,000 for a heat pump water heater.
“For instance, a heat pump water heater at $5,200 – I just did a quick look on Lowe’s and Home Depot, and you can find anywhere from $750 to $5,000,” he said at the March 18 meeting.
“It’s a little bit disingenuous to talk about how expensive this is going to be. A year ago I had my heater replaced with an electric heater and there were rebates that went along with it.”
According to the city staff report, the estimates of the costs came from the South Coast Air Quality Management District itself.
Enmeier also said it would be better for the air quality of future generations even if it’s a little more expensive.
“Global Warming is happening,” he said. “We have to be taking steps now to protect those in the future.”
