HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/1/2022 Item 7a, Chiacos
Delgado, Adriana
From:Michael Chiacos <mchiacos@cecmail.org>
Sent:Monday, January
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Re: Agenda Item 7a – Clean Energy Choice Program for New Buildings
Attachments:CEC Support Natural Gas Ban City of SLO 2-1-22 Agenda 7a (10).pdf
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Dear Mayor Stewart and Councilmembers,
Please see the attached letter urging the Council to select Approach #1 to remove the natural gas compliance
option for new buildings. Each new building hooked up to natural gas digs our planet deeper and deeper into
the climate crisis. The City should follow the approach of Santa Barbara and other cities and ban natural gas in
new construction, as the current ordinance is not working as intended.
Sincerely,
Michael Chiacos
Director of Climate Policy
Community Environmental Council
1219 State Street, Suite A, Santa Barbara CA 93101
(805) 963-0583 x204 | (805) 284-4179 (Cell)
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CEC advances rapid and equitable solutions to the climate crisis. See our impact report to learn why we are a 2020
California Nonprofit of the Year, a 2020 City of Santa Barbara Climate Hero, and a recipient of the highest possible
ratings from Charity Navigator and Guidestar.
CEC (por sus siglas en inglés) avanza soluciones rápidas y equitativas a la crisis climática. Vea nuestro informe de
impacto para saber por qué somos la Organización Sin Fines de Lucro del Año 2020 de California, el 2020 Ciudad de
Santa Bárbara Héroe del Clima y tenemos las calificaciones más altas posibles en Charity Navigator y Guidestar.
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1/31/2022
City of San Luis Obispo City Council
990 Palm St.
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Re: Agenda Item 7a Clean Energy Choice Program for New Buildings
Dear Mayor Stewart and Councilmembers,
Community Environmental Council (CEC) is an environmental non-profit founded in 1970.
We work across Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties to build on-the-
ground momentum to reverse the threat of the climate crisis. CEC supports Approach #1 to
remove the natural gas compliance option for new buildings. There is no other way for the
City of SLO to meet its goal of Carbon Neutrality by 2035 if it continues to allow new gas
infrastructure to be built. In contrast, all-electric buildings are more affordable, healthier,
and are moving toward zero emissions as Central Coast Community Energy procures
increasingly more renewable electricity on a path to 100% renewables by 2030.
All-electric new building construction is the future. As stated in the staff report, 54 California
jurisdictions have adopted building electrification ordinances and 45 have chosen an
outright prohibition. Large cities such as San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento, as well as
large cities outside of California such as Boston, Denver, Seattle and New York are adopting
all-electric codes.
Each new building hooked up to natural gas digs our planet deeper and deeper into the
climate crisis. The City should follow the approach of Santa Barbara and other cities and ban
natural gas in new construction, as the current ordinance is not working as intended.
Sincerely,
Michael Chiacos
Director of Climate Policy