NY GOP urges Mayor Adams to reject wood-fired oven rule.

Republican Lawmakers Fight to Save New York City’s Pizza Scene

Republican New York lawmakers are urging Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams to back down on a plan to more heavily regulate emissions from wood and coal-fired ovens amid fears it could disrupt the city’s popular pizzeria scene.

Late last month, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection proposed a rule that would require eateries using wood and coal-fired ovens to cut their carbon emissions by up to 75 percent. If an assessment concludes that a reduction of 75 percent of particulate matter or more is not possible or that no emissions controls can be installed, the assessment must then identify any emission controls that can provide a reduction of at least 25 percent or justify why no emission controls can be installed.

Reps. Mike Lawler, Elise Stefanik, Marcus Molinaro, Nick LaLota, Andrew Garbarino, and Anthony D’Esposito sent a letter to Mayor Adams on Wednesday, urging him to reconsider implementing the rule.

“While we are committed to protecting the environment and ensuring the well-being of residents, this proposed rule poses significant challenges and the potential for negative consequences,” the six Republican lawmakers wrote. “Imposing these requirements on small businesses, particularly those that rely on traditional coal- and woodburning ovens, will prove to be detrimental.”

Wood and coal-fired ovens have been a fixture in many of New York City’s popular pizzerias.

“We urge you to reconsider the proposed rule requiring pizzerias using coal- and wood-burning ovens to hire an engineer or architect to assess the feasibility of emission control devices,” the Republican lawmakers continued. “We must take a balanced approach that considers the financial implications on small businesses, and the potential impact on the taste and quality of pizza that all New Yorkers and tourists love and cherish while keeping in mind the broader environmental context.”

The New York City mayor addressed questions about the proposed emissions rule during a June 26 press conference. Mayor Adams said, “Everyone likes pizza” and “I think pizzas have saved more marriages than any other foods,” before insisting he didn’t want to see businesses negatively impacted by the rule.

“Right now, we are at the public moment where the public can weigh in. Let the public weigh