Propane Heaters Banned In NYC Restaurants' Outdoor Spaces

NEW YORK CITY — New York City restaurants will not be allowed to use propane heaters to warm outdoor diners this winter, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday.

Instead, they can apply for a $5,000 grant to replace them with electric or natural gas alternatives, Crain's New York Business first reported.

Citing safety concerns, de Blasio said he decided not to re-sign an emergency order that allowed propane use last winter when restaurants were unable to use indoor space because of the pandemic. He said FDNY officials recommended the change.

"The fire department feels strongly, and I agree with them, propane needs to be phased out," he said.

But many restaurateurs worry the decision will scare off diners still wary about eating indoors.

"The news is a blow to restaurants hoping to use propane heaters again as they’re still trying to recover from the pandemic and keep their outdoor dining customers warm," said Andrew Rigie, the executive direction of the NYC Hospitality Alliance.

Crain's reported that the $5,000 grants to reimburse restaurant owners for the cash they'll lay out for electric or natural gas propane alternatives would be available to businesses showing under $1 million in 2019 revenues.

De Blasio said the financial support will be a “permanent investment" as outdoor dining itself becomes permanent.

“It’s about safety and it’s about sustainability,” he said.

Only days ago, first deputy secretary to the mayor Mitch Schwartz told Patch that the city was "closely reviewing the fire safety implications of allowing propane heaters this year, but electric and natural gas heaters will be fair game no matter what."

The Daily News reported there were no propane heater-related fires during last winter.

Last winter's emergency order permitting the propane heaters expired in May, but restaurant owners across the five boroughs were lobbying for its renewal. Already tasked with enforcing rules that only permit vaccinated patrons to eat inside, many depend on outdoor dining to feed unvaccinated customers and those who prefer to eat outside during the pandemic.

“We want Open Restaurants to be a permanent part of New York City’s landscape,” Schwartz told reporters, “and the most important step we can take is keeping diners and staff safe.”