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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 a start date for enforcement beyond stating it applies as of January 1, 2025.

Climate Commitment Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This law clarifies that rules banning new fossil fuel heating systems do not stop people from replacing parts in their existing gas or oil heaters.

What This Bill Does

  • Amends the District Department of the Environment Establishment Act of 2005 to change wording about heating restrictions.
  • Changes the word 'appliances' to 'systems' in section headings and text regarding water-heating rules.
  • Adds a rule stating that replacing parts of existing space or water heaters is allowed even if they burn natural gas, oil, or other fossil fuels.
  • Specifies that this exception applies only when work happens at the site where the heating system is located.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Owners and operators of buildings in Washington, D.C. with existing space-heating or water-heating systems using natural gas, oil, or other fossil fuels.
  • Contractors who repair or replace parts for these heating appliances.
  • The District Department of the Environment.

Terms To Know

Fossil fuels
Energy sources like natural gas, oil, or coal that burn to create heat.
Components
Individual parts inside a heating system that can be replaced without changing the whole unit.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law is an emergency act and will expire after 90 days unless extended by new legislation.
  • The rule only covers replacing parts, so it may still restrict installing entirely new fossil fuel heating systems.
  • The text does not explain how much money this change might save or cost taxpayers.

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
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COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FinalReading
January7,2025
‘Approved

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