You have an opportunity this week to make a big impact on fighting climate change on a local level.
Please help make sure that Newton is taking vital steps we urgently need to drive down greenhouse gas emissions – and modeling the actions that all communities need to take to protect our children’s future.
Please email your City Councilors TODAY to urge them to support Newton’s electrification ordinance (Fossil Fuel-free Ordinance, Article VI, Sec. 5-59) without an amendment to exempt gas hookups for stoves.
See below for more information and a sample email.
Background
Newton is one of ten Massachusetts communities that has been approved to participate in the Municipal Fossil Fuel Free Building Demonstration Program, referred to as the Ten Communities Program.
The Ten Communities Program is a DOER demonstration project that enables cities and towns to adopt and amend general or zoning ordinances or by-laws to require new building construction and major renovations to be fossil fuel-free.
Why does this amendment dramatically decrease the effectiveness of the Electrification Ordinance?
The amendment, that was introduced to the City Council on June 3rd, would dramatically decrease the effectiveness of the ordinance because allowing gas stoves in new construction and major renovations would require gas supply for the entire building, which means new gas infrastructure to supply gas, and new gas leaks in that infrastructure. In addition, the requirement only impacts a small minority of existing homeowners: only people who conduct major renovations. The requirement to eliminate gas cooking is only triggered in a renovation when a kitchen is included where at least 50% of a building is being renovated, or over 1,000 sq. ft. is added to a low-rise residential building.
Please write to your city councilors to urge them to oppose the amendment because the amendment would:
- Undermine the basic principle of the ordinance, which is to eliminate reliance on fossil fuels. If gas cooking is allowed for all renovations and new construction, gas connections would be necessary to keep or add to enable this. New gas infrastructure means more gas leaks – which already account for 8% of our greenhouse gas emissions.
- Not follow the spirit and letter of Department of Energy Resources requirements. If councilors want to be one of the Ten Communities and model the reduction of fossil fuel use for the rest of the state, we should abide by the intention of the ordinance.
- Thwart implementation of Newton’s Climate Action Plan and its goal to attain zero carbon emissions by 2050. Allowing gas stoves in new construction and major renovations adds new gas pipeline infrastructure and continues our reliance on fossil fuels – in direct contradiction to the City’s plan to create a healthy, sustainable City so that our children can live long, healthy lives. Owners who install new gas stoves now, will only have to have them removed further on as we move towards zero carbon emissions in 2050.
- Threaten public health. The use of fossil fuel for cooking has been proven to harm the health of building occupants, particularly children and elderly. The nitrogen dioxide produced by gas stoves is a respiratory irritant that increases the risk of asthma attacks, incidence of respiratory infections and respiratory disease. Gas pipelines through Newton neighborhoods for gas stoves also degrade Newton’s outdoor air quality and kill nearby trees. So called “natural gas” is not clean, not green and not safe, not for us, and not for our children.
Take Action: Email your City Councilors
Please write to your city councilors to tell them you support Newton’s electrification ordinance (Fossil Fuel-free Ordinance, Article VI, Sec. 5-59) without an amendment to exempt gas hookups for stoves. Please cc all other councilors.
Email all Councilors: citycouncil@newtonma.gov
In addition, please thank the following councilors for voting to oppose the amendment.
Emails of Councilors to thank for opposing the amendment: Councilors Susan Albright (salbright@newtonma.gov), Martha Bixby (mbixby@newtonma.gov), Vicki Danberg (vdanberg@newtonma.gov), Andreae Downs (adowns@newtonma.gov), Rebecca Grossman (rwgrossman@newtonma.gov), Bill Humphrey (bhumphrey@newtonma.gov), Andrea Kelley (akelley@newtonma.gov), Alison Leary (aleary@newtonma.gov), Rick Lipof (rlipof@newtonma.gov), Alan Lobovits (alobovits@newtonma.gov), and Maria Scibelli Greenberg (msgreenberg@newtonma.gov).
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Sample Letter
Dear Councilor xxx,
I am writing to support Newton’s electrification ordinance (Fossil Fuel-free Ordinance, Article VI, Sec. 5-59) without an amendment to exempt gas hookups for stoves.
[Please personalize – say why you care about protecting our children’s future, Newton’s environment and our community.]
In new construction, allowing gas for cooking would require new gas pipe infrastructure. Methane, the main component of natural gas, is already 8% of the City’s greenhouse gas emissions. Methane, which is released from gas pipe leaks and from gas stoves, is a much more harmful pollutant and more powerful driver of global warming than CO2.
[Please personalize – are you concerned about how the pollutants from gas stoves are affecting you and your loved ones?]
Homeowners using gas only for cooking will also see costs rise as there will be fewer gas customers sharing both the cost of operating and maintaining the gas system as well as the cost of the gas pipe replacements.”
Any home using gas will eventually need costly retrofits as the Commonwealth will require decommissioning of the gas system and Newton’s Climate Action Plan requires zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
If a homeowner’s renovation triggers the electrification requirement, ONLY the renovated area and/or addition must be fully electrified. Very few homeowners choose to renovate 50% of their home at once, and over 1,000 sf additions are rare. The homeowner doing this type of large project work could just as well choose to phase the work so as not to trigger this requirement.
Also, we know that gas stoves are a health hazard. They leak methane, even when they are not being used. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are also released when gas is burned. The nitrogen dioxide increases the risk of asthma attacks, headaches, eye irritation, incidence of respiratory infections and respiratory disease.
Finally, the purpose of the electrification ordinance is to reduce fossil fuel emissions. Exempting gas stoves undermines the goals of the City’s Climate Action Plan.
I urge you to pass the electrification ordinance without any amendment allowing new gas stove hook ups for new construction or major renovations.
Sincerely,
name
address
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