Eugene, Ore. — The City of Eugene voted five to three tonight to phase out fossil fuels like gas in new homes and buildings, a historic step that will cut climate pollution, improve air quality, and lower utility bills for households. The vote from the City Council delivered a major victory to the dozens of climate, environmental justice, health, housing and racial justice groups who organized for more than two years in favor of the policy.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a recall for thousands of gas ranges due to a serious concern about carbon monoxide poisoning from the oven compartment. This recall underscores the need for CPSC to enact rules to ensure the safety of new gas stoves, an effort that the agency says it is exploring.
WASHINGTON, DC – The DC Council today passed legislation requiring that all new and substantially renovated DC government buildings meet net zero energy standards, meaning the buildings are highly energy efficient, maximize on-site renewable energy generation, and do not use fossil fuels. The legislation helps implement the Climate Commitment Act, which requires the DC government to be carbon neutral in its operations by 2040.
Although growing evidence shows that gas stoves fill kitchens and homes with hazardous air pollution, U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Sierra Club released a new report that found major retailers were largely failing to warn potential customers of gas stove health concerns – and safety measures that could protect their health.
MILWAUKIE, ORE. — In a major step toward healthier and more affordable new homes, the Milwaukie City Council voted last night to join a growing number of communities in advancing measures to transition homes and buildings from fossil fuels to electricity for heating and cooking.
The measures approved by the city include:
The first ever Federal Buildings Performance Standard was announced today by the Biden-Harris Administration to cut pollution from buildings and lower the government’s energy costs through energy efficiency upgrades and electrification. Buildings contribute more than 25% of the federal government’s greenhouse gas emissions, so this is an important step towards achieving climate goals and making federally owned buildings clean and healthy.
Eugene, Oregon - Late yesterday, over 20 organizations submitted a letter to the University of Oregon's (UO) Interim President and Board of Trustees calling on the university to transition its buildings off of fossil fuels.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Vice President Kamala Harris was in Boston yesterday to highlight a new $13 billion investment
Eugene, OR – Citing community concerns, NW Natural has withdrawn its application to build an experimental hydrogen blending project in West Eugene.
Eugene, OR — Local and statewide climate, health and social justice organizations are petitioning the Oregon Public Utility Commission to reject a proposal by NW Natural to pipe experimental hydrogen into the gas system in Eugene, citing health, safety, cost and feasibility concerns. Residents and organizations are specifically alarmed with the siting of the project in a community that is already overburdened with pollution.
Portland, OR – Today, public health professionals, Multnomah County residents, youth activists, and community organizations delivered a petition with more than 1,000 signatures urging Multnomah County officials to require all-electric new buildings and to plan a just transition away from polluting and dangerous fossil fuel infrastructure in existing buildings.
The U.S. Department of Energy has agreed to review energy efficiency standards for 20 categories of consumer and commercial appliances and equipment, as part of a settlement approved today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Updating the 20 overdue standards would mean huge savings for U.S. consumers and businesses, approximately $650 billion in cumulative utility bill savings through 2050. This action will also prevent between 970 and over 1800 million metric tons of carbon emissions over the same period according to an analysis by the Appliance Standards Awareness Project.