As dust settles on the nationwide natural gas-versus-electric stove story, regulators for California’s San Francisco Bay Area have determined that natural gas stoves are safe for now, but gas furnaces and water heaters must be phased out in four years. 

Cali

In a near-unanimous vote, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) on Wednesday amended regulations to eliminate nitrogen oxide (NOx) from residential and commercial buildings. 

“The 1.8 million water heaters and furnaces in the Bay Area significantly impact our air quality, resulting in dozens of early deaths and a wide range of health impacts, particularly in communities of color,” said BAAQMD’s Philip Fine, executive officer. “This groundbreaking regulation will phase out the most polluting appliances in...