WIN: All-electric new building construction is the future of Santa Barbara
Update : We did it!
On Tuesday, July 20, 2021, Santa Barbara City Council and Mayor Cathy Murillo voted unanimously to enact a new building ordinance prohibiting natural gas infrastructure in newly constructed buildings, with the exception of restaurants and applications where there isn't yet a viable electric alternative to gas. With this vote, the City takes an important step toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meeting our 2035 carbon neutrality goal.
We thank the City Council, Mayor Cathy Murillo, and City Staff for pushing this item forward. We’d also like to extend a huge thank you to the many supporters who signed our petition, gave public comment, and engaged in the process along the way to ensure that this important measure passed. You can read more about this project in our original action alerts from January and last week.
Removing natural gas infrastructure from new construction reduces construction costs and avoids the dangerous impact of using fossil fuels indoors. Additionally, pairing all-electric buildings with 100% renewable energy from the upcoming Santa Barbara Community Choice Energy program is a huge step toward decarbonization.
There is more that we can do together! Let’s keep this momentum going.
Electrify your own home! This ordinance only applies to new construction, but the large majority of gas use comes from existing buildings. CEC will continue to work towards making it easier to replace gas appliances in your home and relying on renewable energy resources.
CEC and the Sierra Club will continue working to encourage other cities and counties to pass similar measures. If you are a resident of Ventura, Oxnard, or Goleta, reach out to your local council members and express your interest in passing an all-electric reach code!
You can also get involved to prevent the expansion of the natural gas compressor station in Ventura. Additional capacity for natural gas is not needed and the plant is already located in a community highly burdened by pollution. Read more about it here.
Thank you for your continued support! Together, we can reverse, repair, and protect against the impacts of climate change for our community.
Katie Davis
CEC President's Council Member
Sierra Club Santa Barbara Group Chair, Executive Committee
Original Alert:
Help get natural gas out of new buildings in Santa Barbara. Sign a petition to City Councilmembers supporting an Energy Code Amendment to ban natural gas in new construction.
On Tuesday, July 20, 2021, the Santa Barbara City Council will vote on an Energy Code Amendment that would require new buildings to be built all-electric instead of also using natural gas. With your help we can push this amendment over the finish line and keep new buildings safe and clean!
Why support this amendment?
1) It helps meet our Carbon Neutrality goals
Fossil fuels, like natural gas, are incompatible with the City's goal of Carbon Neutrality by 2035.
As the City begins offering 100% renewable electricity, all-electric buildings will help us get one step closer to Zero Carbon Communities.
Buildings currently are responsible for 24% of California’s greenhouse gas emissions, and much of that comes from burning natural gas.
2) The benefits of all-electric buildings are far reaching
Less expensive to construct – New buildings won’t need new gas piping and gas meters, making them more affordable.
Reduced maintenance fees – A recent study finds that all-electric new construction results in savings of $130-$540 per year relative to a gas-fueled home
Healthier for our community – Burning natural gas indoors has been documented to increase air pollution to levels that would be illegal outdoors and that exacerbate health conditions such as asthma. You can read more about those impacts from these articles in Slate and the Atlantic.
3) The Code would apply ONLY to new construction – This is cost-effective and doesn’t require retrofitting of existing natural gas appliances which means it won’t have an impact on our existing homes. In addition, there are reasonable exemptions included in the Code such as cooking appliances in commercial kitchens and natural gas infrastructure in laboratories and clean-rooms.
4) Moving away from gas now avoids the need for expanding dangerous gas infrastructure
The blowout at the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility in 2015 just south of our community was California's biggest contributor to climate change.
Ventura residents are protesting the expansion of a gas compressor station next to an elementary school in Ventura which has been contaminating the area.
This is a reminder that SoCalGas used highly questionable tactics when this item was previously brought to the City Council. The California Public Utilities Commission is still investigating the situation for illegal use of ratepayer money to advocate against the state's climate policies.
Your support is critical in ensuring that the City of Santa Barbara remains a climate leader.
Want to take more action?
1. Send a short email to the Santa Barbara City Council telling them why we should get natural gas out of new buildings.
2. Speak at the virtual City of Santa Barbara Council meeting
Date: Tuesday, July 20
Location: Join Meeting Electronically
Webinar ID: 701-314-891 (use Chrome, Firefox, or Safari browsers)
Time: The Council meeting begins at 2:00 p.m. The Energy Code Amendment is late on the agenda but will likely be heard between 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. View Agenda.
Thank you for your action to support clean energy in Santa Barbara. Together, we can move the Central Coast away from fossil fuels within one generation.