New law bars NYC businesses from keeping doors open while air is on, with these exceptions
A new law signed by New York’s mayor on Wednesday generally requires New York City shops and restaurants to keep their front doors and windows closed when the air conditioning is on.
The law takes effect starting next summer, but shops are already being urged to comply with a “shut the front door” campaign, the New York Times reports. Violators face fines of up to $1,000.
Restaurants that provide al fresco dining are exempted from the law, as are sidewalk cafes and counter-type stores.
The measure is intended to help reduce the city’s carbon footprint.
Lawyer Robert Bookman, who represents small businesses in suits against the city, questioned whether the regulation went too far. “Businesses pay their own electric bill,” Bookman told the Times. “I think it’s their business, and not the government’s business, about how much electricity they should use.”
