Good morning. It’s Thursday. Today we’ll find out about a requirement for natural gas detectors that many apartment buildings in New York City will be hard-pressed to comply with. And, with the Democratic primary for mayor now two months away, we’ll also have details on four new endorsements and one candidate’s campaign strategy.
Credit…Andrew Renneisen for The New York Times
A week from today, a statute known as Local Law 157 is scheduled to go into effect in New York City, imposing a seemingly mundane requirement that many buildings will find themselves hard-pressed to comply with.
Local Law 157 says that a detector that can sense the buildup of natural gas must be installed wherever there is a gas-powered appliance — in every kitchen with a gas stove and every laundry room with a gas dryer.
New York is the first major city to require such devices along with smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. But for buildings that prefer battery-powered detectors over plug-in ones, there is a holdup: Only one company makes battery-operated units that meet standards set by Local Law 157. Suppliers say that shipments cannot arrive fast enough.
That has many building owners and superintendents worried about missing the May 1 deadline. But housing inspectors will not immediately issue violations while the city works out details on enforcement.