At the next Newton Public Facilities Committee meeting on February 8 (agenda), city councilors will present a resolution supporting the creation of a city-wide plan to equitably achieve efficiencies, reduce emissions and risks of gas infrastructure and expediting electrification. Resolution for a Future without Gas and for Clean Heat (#51-23 ) is supported by Councilors Leary, Humphrey, Bowman, Downs, Crossley, Kalis, Greenberg, Lipof, Ryan, Lucas, Kelley, Wright, Norton, Albright, and Danberg.
The public can attend online or in-person at Newton City Hall in Room 205.
Members of the Campaign for A Future WithOut Gas (AFWOG) commended Committee Chair Alison Leary for championing the resolution.
AFWOG was organized by members of Mothers Out Front Newton, 350Mass Newton, and Green Newton who shared a sense of urgency to achieve the safety and economic security of clean energy and to reduce the enormous cost, risk, waste and pollution of leaky gas pipelines.
AFWOG also promotes a state legislative initiative, HD4047 An Act relative to intervenors and utility work, that will give municipalities the authority they need to overcome barriers to transparency and accountability so they can plan for the strategic triage and transition from gas to sustainable solutions such as solar, wind, heat pumps, networked geothermal, demand response, and efficiency for clean energy and to create quality jobs. (See Gas Leaks Allies’ information sheet, Redirect Pipeline Investment To Clean Energy.)
For more information:
- The Resolution and Committee Chair Leary’s “Dear Colleagues” letter,
- Information in Mayor Fuller’s latest news about National Grid’s repair of 16 Grade 3SEIs (high volume) gas leaks out of 60 3SEIs,
- Newton Gas Leaks Map at HEET.org.
Headline Image: Pie chart created by Sasha Goldberg shows the number of leaks repaired versus the number of total leaks in Newton. There are about 650 – 700+ leaks remaining.
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