Council member proposes one‑year delay to gas‑detector mandate, citing device shortages and recalls
Loading...
Summary
Intro 12‑81 would postpone the deadline for mandatory natural gas detectors in buildings until one year after the Department of Buildings confirms compliant devices are widely available. Sponsors said the May 1 compliance deadline was impossible because compliant devices are scarce and subject to recall.
Council Member Genovitz introduced a measure (referred to in remarks as 12‑81) on May 28 to postpone enforcement of the requirement that buildings install natural gas detectors. Genovitz said the Department of Buildings set a May 1 compliance deadline that is “utterly unachievable,” citing that the market lacks devices that meet the NFPA 715 (2023) standard and that the only certified model has been recalled due to a critical malfunction.
Genovitz said the bill would delay the mandate by one year after the Department of Buildings confirms devices are sufficiently available. The sponsor argued the law’s intent — to protect residents from gas leaks — is sound, but added that fining residents and landlords for noncompliance with an impossible standard would be unfair.
The measure was introduced during general discussion. The transcript indicates the committee and council were considering a range of bills on the calendar; the record does not show a final vote on this specific introductory postponement measure during the stated meeting. Genovitz asked colleagues to cosponsor the bill and called it “common sense” to avoid imposing fines for a mandate that cannot be met given current supply and recall issues.
