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B26-0006 • 2025

Climate Commitment Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Climate Commitment Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Energy
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
at the request of the Mayor
Last action
2025-02-14
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text does not specify an exact effective date; it states the act will take effect following approval by the Mayor or Council action to override a veto and remain in effect for no longer than 90 days.

Climate Commitment Clarification Emergency Act of 2025

This act clarifies that existing rules about not installing fossil fuel-burning systems do not apply when replacing parts of heating appliances that use natural gas, oil, or other fossil fuels.

What This Bill Does

  • Clarifies the District Department of the Environment Establishment Act of 2005 to ensure it does not prevent people from replacing components of existing space or water-heating appliances that rely on burning natural gas, oil, or other fossil fuels.
  • Changes the wording in Section 109e of the act to say 'systems' instead of 'appliances'.
  • Adds a new paragraph (2) stating that the rule does not apply when replacing components of existing space or water-heating appliances that rely on burning natural gas, oil, or other fossil fuels.
  • Makes this change effective as of January 1, 2025.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who need to replace parts of heating systems in their homes or buildings.
  • The District Department of the Environment and related agencies.

Terms To Know

Fossil fuel
A type of energy source like natural gas, oil, or coal that comes from plants and animals that lived millions of years ago.
Heating appliances
Devices used to heat homes or buildings, such as furnaces or water heaters.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act expires on May 4, 2025.
  • It only applies for a limited time and may need to be renewed after that date.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-14 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0004 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 001287, Expires on May 04, 2025

  2. 2025-02-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  3. 2025-02-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0004, Expires on May 04, 2025

  4. 2025-01-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Feb 06, 2025

  5. 2025-01-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council with comments from the Committee on Transportation and the Environment

  6. 2025-01-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  7. 2025-01-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0006 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Climate Commitment Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
ANACT.
D.C. ACT 26-4
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
FEBRUARY 3, 2025
‘Toamend,onanemergencybasis,theDistrictDepartmentoftheEnvironmentEstablishmentActof2005toclarifythattherestrictiononinstallingfossilfuel-burningsystemsshallnotapplytothereplacementofcomponentsofexistingspace-orwater-heatingappliancesthatrelyonthecombustionofnaturalgas,oil,orotherfossilfuels.
BE ITENACTED BY THE COUNCILOF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA,Thatthis
actmay be citedasthe“ClimateCommitment ClarificationEmergency Amendment Act of
2025".
Sec.2.Section109eoftheDistrictDepartmentoftheEnvironmentEstablishmentActof2005,effectiveSeptember21,2022(D.C.Law24-176;D.C.OfficialCode§8-151.09e),isamendedasfollows:(a)Thesectionheadingisamendedbystrikingthephrase“andappliancesby”andinsertingthephrase“andsystemsby”initsplace.(0)Subsection(a)isamendedasfollows:(2)Designatetheexistingtextasparagraph(1).(2)Paragraph(1)isamendedasfollows:(A)Strikethephrase“water-heatingappliancesthat”andinsertthephrase~water-heatingsystemsthat”initsplace.(B)Strikethephrase“theappliance,except”andinsertthephrase“thesystem,except”initsplace.(3)A newparagraph(2)isaddedtoreadasfollows:“(2)Thissubsectionshallnotapplytothereplacementofcomponentsofexistingspace-orwater-heatingappliancesthatrelyonthecombustionofnaturalges,oil,orotherfossilfuelsatthesiteofthesystem.”,
Sec.3.Applicability.
ThisactshallapplyasofJanuary1,2025.
Sec.4.Fiscalimpactstatement.‘TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approved

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
October 16,2006 (120 Stat.2038; D.C. OfficialCode § 1-301.47a).
Sec.5.Effectivedate.ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectfornolongerthan90days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection412(a)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleActapprovedDecember24,1973(87Stat.788:D.C.OfficialCode§1-204.12(a)).
Councilofthe DistrictofColumbia

FEBRUARY 3, 2025

DocketNo.826-0008
[]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR:
(DUACTION
[XIVOTEDATE
[DqVOICEvoTE
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTE-Result
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FinalReading
January7,2025
‘Approved

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