From: David Moller
Sent: Monday, July 18, 2022 4:08 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Public Comment for July 18, 2022 City Council Meeting Dear San Rafael Mayor, City Council Members and Staff,
I’d like to draw your attention to the ongoing county-wide initiative to require that new buildings be allelectric. You’re likely aware of this initiative from a number of sources and also because public awareness of health and safety problems with natural gas in our homes and buildings is increasing.
On June 6 the Marin Civil Grand Jury issued a report recommending that all Marin jurisdictions reduce greenhouse gas emissions by taking steps to eliminate the use of natural gas in new buildings and replace outdated or nonfunctioning gas appliances and equipment in existing structures with nonemitting alternatives such as high-efficiency electric heat pumps. The report also recommends that all twelve Marin jurisdictions jointly develop a Marin Countywide Building Electrification Plan by 1/1/24 that would address all building types.
The reason for these recommendations is that use of natural gas in buildings, mostly for space and water heating, is responsible for about one-quarter of the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing our worsening climate crisis. The report makes a clear case for taking these actions and requires a response by each Marin jurisdiction within 90 days – by September 6.
I encourage San Rafael to include in its response to the Grand Jury’s Report a commitment to continue to participate with the other Marin jurisdictions in the ongoing development of the model all-electric ordinance for new buildings and to adopt that model reach code with an effective date of January 1, 2023, simultaneous with the other Marin jurisdictions. I also encourage San Rafael to make a strong commitment to jointly develop with the other jurisdictions to develop a Marin Building Electrification Plan by January 1, 2024 that will lead, over time, to electrification of all buildings in San Rafael.
With applications for 3,000 new residences now pending at various Marin jurisdictions and thousands more on the way due to the Regional Housing Needs Allocation requirements, we need action at the local level to make sure these new residences are all-electric and don’t end up increasing greenhouse gas emissions. And we need to start ramping down the use of natural gas in existing buildings. The Grand Jury Report provides a clear and compelling path to achieve these objectives. Please take it! David Moller
Larkspur