As New York City works to make the Open Restaurants Plan permanent, Mayor de Blasio has reinstated the ban on propane heaters for sidewalk and roadway outdoor dining areas.

To help small restaurants, the Department of Small Business Services is providing grants up to $5,000 for restaurants with annual revenue of $1 million or less, to replace propane heaters with electric or natural gas radiant heaters. Moving forward, electric radiant heaters may be used for sidewalk and roadway dining areas. Natural gas radiant heaters may be used at the sidewalk only. Last year the Department of Buildings published Buildings Bulletins offering further guidance regarding installing, permitting, and operating electric radiant heaters and natural gas heaters.

See the Department of Transportation’s page for more information on the Permanent Open Restaurants Plan.