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Gas Moratorium Strategy Call

How do we work towards banning new gas hookups at the city and town level?

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Tonight’s agenda

  • Round of introductions
    • Questions during the call? Put them in chat for the Q and A (and don’t try to answer Qs from others)
  • Why this is important - Carol, MCAN
  • Why does gas matter? - Rebecca
  • Briefing on Berkeley approach - Cathy, PLAN
  • How different than LDC imposed moratoriums - Cathy, PLAN
  • Basics of how it works, some challenges - Carol, MCAN
  • Strategy options
  • Needs for potential working groups - Carol, MCAN
  • Q&A (moderated chat)

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What is MCAN?

  • Founded in 2000
  • We provide a network and expertise to help town level groups take action on climate locally
  • A network of organizations (our 50+ chapters) and advocates at the town and city level
  • Work to make community level change and turn that into state and national level change.

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Climate Change is Happening

Tornados in Springfield, MA

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It’s all about the local action!

Local has always led on climate change

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We have the tools

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Buildings contribute to climate change

In MA, buildings are responsible for over half of all energy consumption and are responsible for over 40% of carbon pollution.

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Better buildings

To help the communities in MA do the Net Zero planning they want to do & reach our climate goals as a state, we need to commit to building fossil fuel-free buildings

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Why does gas matter?

  • Climate
  • Health
  • Safety
  • Equity

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Climate

Natural gas is responsible for 2/3 of all electricity generation in MA & makes up over 1/3 of total GHG pollution - excluding leaks

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Health

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Safety

Transporting natural gas is dangerous & disasters are frequent, putting entire communities at risk

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Equity

“Indoor pollution is worse among the poor, where cramped quarters concentrate pollutants — which makes banning natural gas an environmental justice issue. Even when the pollutants are vented to the outdoors, they add to ozone, another threat to respiratory health.” - LA Times

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Banning gas sets the stage for a 100% renewable future.

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Who is PLAN-NE?

Pipe Line Awareness Network for the Northeast

Mission: To prevent the overbuild of fossil fuel infrastructure in the Northeastern United States and to champion clean, sustainable energy solutions.

Vision: We envision a public that understands where its energy comes from and that actively engages in energy decisions that affect our communities and our region.

http://plan-ne.org

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Briefing on Berkeley approach

  • Prohibits gas infrastructure in new buildings
    • “The effect of this legislation will be that builders will be prohibited from applying for entitlements that include gas infrastructure — gas piping to heat water, space, food, etc. — except for specific building systems that have not yet been modeled for all-electric design” by the state.
  • Applies to externally vetted building types
    • The new law would apply only to building types that have been reviewed and analyzed by the California Energy Commission. Each time the state expands its models and analyses, according to the way the ordinance was designed, the city will be able to update its law without returning to council for a new vote.
    • So far only applies to new low-rise residential buildings
  • Exemption for feasibility, requires ability for future retrofit
    • Natural gas may be allowed in new projects if an applicant can show that “it is not physically feasible to construct the building” without it, according to the ordinance language. New construction must be built so it can be converted to all-electric in the future, however.

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Differences in building codes

  • California:
    • Local jurisdictions may adopt local amendments to the California Building Standards Code in order to provide adequate protection to the communities they serve.
    • Amendments must be more restrictive building standards.
  • Massachusetts:
    • 780 CMR - MA State Building Code
    • Legislature essentially eliminated local building codes, so state building code supersedes any local building code bylaws.
    • MA has two code - the base building code and the stretch building code

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Berkeley’s domino effect

  • California (50+ cities now exploring phasing out gas):
    • Menlo Park
    • San Luis Obispo
    • Culver City
    • Mendicino
    • Santa Monica
    • San Jose
    • San Francisco
  • Washington:
    • Seattle (vote on hold until December due to labor union pressure)

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Local gas company moratoria

  • Massachusetts Local Distribution Company (LDC) moratoria
    • Berkshire Gas in their eight-town Franklin & Hampshire County territory
      • Dec. 2014 no new service until NED, declared permanent Nov. 2018
    • Columbia Gas in Northampton and Easthampton
      • Dec. 2014 no new service until NED, now claim “could be lifted” if Reliability Plan built
    • Holyoke Gas & Electric (HG&E) in Holyoke and Southampton
      • Jan. 28, 2019 no new natural gas service requests, lift if Columbia Gas Reliability Plan
    • Middleboro Gas & Electric (MGED) in Middleboro, “evaluating options”
      • Feb. 1, 2019 no new natural gas service
  • New York Local Distribution Company (LDC) moratoria
    • 1/19 ConEd for Westchester County; 5/19 National Grid for NYC & Long Island, until NESE
  • Common industry tactic to pressure for new/expanded pipelines/gas capacity
  • Not to be confused with state agency imposed moratorium for ineptitude

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Massachusetts gas hookup bans

  • Brookline : Warrant article for fall town meeting
    • New residential and “gut” renovations, potential exemptions for HWS and restaurants
  • Cambridge : City Council Health & Environment Committee
    • New construction where feasible, exempts accessory dwellings and public interest use
  • Newton - legal has started looking at it on behalf of city council
  • Lexington - on hold because counsel wants to watch others

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How The 3 Proposed Moratoria Would Work

Likely allowed under home rule (AG’s office will have their say)

Just bans the hookup (homeowners/developers don’t have a “right” to hook up to gas)

Structured to not do code’s job

Is about the hookup, not what is in the building

Structured to allow gas companies their right to have infrastructure and to provide their services

They can have pipelines, just not connect to new buildings

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Some technical challenges

Challenge: Domestic hot water

Residential - heat pump in basement (or outside)

Multi family Residential- pair solar thermal with electric resistance for lower cost

Commercial - heat pump (less load)

Challenge: Heating and cooling

Solution for all building types - air or ground source heat pumps

Challenge: Stoves

Solution for all building types - induction (certain cultural pitfalls)

Challenge: Backup generators

Residential - not needed or diesel or gas

Multi family Residential - same

Commercial- not needed

Passive house- battery backup? How big a system would you Need? Cost?

Nursing care etc- battery? Cost?

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Needs for potential working groups

  • Research re:
    • Technology
    • Costs
    • Examples
  • Writing
    • Case studies of all of the above
  • Grassroots/social media

Email carololdham@massclimateaction.net or rebecca@massclimateaction.net