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.
MANHATTAN, NY -- Today, New York’s Climate Action Council (CAC) will vote on the Final Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) Scoping Plan. Following the passage of the CLCPA, Advisory Panels with diverse sector-specific expertise were appointed in 2020 to draft recommendations for the strategies necessary for New York to decarbonize and meet the mandates of the Climate Act.
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.
MANHATTAN, NY -- Today, the New York City Council voted to approve Resolution 169. The resolution calls on the Climate Action Council and the Governor to draft and implement a final Climate Action Council Scoping Plan that commits to meeting New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) targets while taking bold climate and environmental justice action in New York.
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.
Twenty-six health, environmental, and consumer protection groups formally petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today to protect public health from dangerous outdoor air pollution fossil fuel-fired heating appliances.
Eugene, OR — Today, six Oregon elected officials and more than 30 organizations submitted a petition calling on the Oregon Department of Justice and Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum to investigate the state’s largest methane gas utility, NW Natural, for deceptive advertising practices, including falsely promoting methane gas as a climate solution, misleading the public on its energy investments, and advertising pro-gas materials to school children.
Boston – Today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced that she will file a home rule petition that will allow Boston to set building standards eliminating the use of fossil fuels in new buildings and major renovations. The petition would include the city of Boston in the state’s 10-municipality pilot program recently enacted in Bill H.5060, An Act driving clean energy and offshore wind. The pilot allows cities and towns to develop local ordinances that restrict or prohibit the use of fossil fuels in new buildings or major renovation projects, including through building permitting.
WASHINGTON, DC – DC Mayor Muriel Bowser signed groundbreaking legislation to transition new buildings and DC government operations off fossil fuels.
Mayor Bowser signed into law the Clean Energy DC Building Code Act, requiring that by 2026, all new buildings in DC are net-zero energy and produce the energy they use on-site from renewable sources. The bill expressly prohibits the combustion of dirty fuels in buildings, including fracked gas and fossil gas alternatives from sources like animal manure.
The Sierra Club applauds the Council of the District of Columbia for voting unanimously to start transitioning DC off fossil fuels and toward clean and efficient electric systems in new buildings.
OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington State Building Code Council voted 11-3 today to adopt a new statewide commercial and multifamily building energy code that will be the strongest, most climate-friendly in the country by driving the transition to clean electricity for space and water heating. This major win for clean energy coincides with President Joe Biden’s Earth Day Seattle visit where he discussed the infrastructure bill and clean energy.
The Massachusetts Sierra Club applauds the state Senate for passing a climate bill last night that would take steps to create incentives, investments, and targets necessary to meet the state’s goals for clean energy and transportation.