Beacon will require all-electric appliances in new buildings starting next year.
The city of Beacon, New York became the third in the state to ban fossil fuels in new buildings with a unanimous City Council vote this week. “The law requires all-electric construction for all new buildings and major renovations starting in 2024, and mirrors language in the statewide All-Electric New Building Act proposed with 85 co-sponsors in Albany.”
According to a press release from Food & Water Watch, “Buildings are New York’s largest polluters, producing 32% of the state’s climate-heating greenhouse gas emissions — all-electric construction would slash climate warming emissions.”
As the press release explains, “Ending fossil fuel use in new construction would prevent air pollution equivalent to keeping 870,000 gas-powered cars off the road every year, and save families in new homes statewide an average of over $900 a year on energy bills.” In addition to limiting greenhouse gas emissions, swapping out gas ranges for electric stoves improves indoor air quality and public health.
Berkeley, California instituted a similar policy in 2019.
FULL STORY: Beacon, NY City Council Unanimously Votes to Ban Fossil Fuels in New Buildings
Wildfires Second-Largest Source of Emissions in California
New research quantifies the impact of wildfires on California’s air quality, indicating that bigger and more frequent fires contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.
Report: The West Is the Worst for Air Quality
Thanks to longer fire seasons and increasingly intense blazes, Western states are experiencing the nation’s worst air quality.
Fighting Climate Change in the Kitchen
With more cities banning the use of natural gas in new buildings, cooks are discovering the benefits of electric appliances.
‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland
Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.
Plan to Potentially Remove Downtown Milwaukee’s Interstate Faces Public Scrutiny
The public is weighing in on a suite of options for repairing, replacing, or removing Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee.
Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?
700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says
Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.
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