SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
A tree-line street in the suburb of Brookline, Massachusetts outside Boston. The town council this week voted overwhelmingly to approve new rules that would forbid fossil fuel infrastructure for new residential construction. (Photo: John Allspaw/flicker/cc)
Offering National Model, This New England Town Just Banned Natural Gas and Oil in New Home Construction
"Brookline is making history."
Nov 21, 2019
Setting a new standard for other communities in the United States and elsewhere to follow in this age of climate emergency, the suburban town of Brookline, Massachusetts this week passed a sweeping new bylaw that prohibits nearly all use of natural gas and oil in the construction of new homes or in the renovation of existing ones.
According to the Boston Globe:
By an overwhelming margin Wednesday night, Brookline Town Meeting voted to ban oil and gas piping in future construction projects, becoming the first community in Massachusetts to pass such a measure. And while over 15 cities in California have passed similar bans, Brookline's bylaw goes further, prohibiting the installation of new oil and gas infrastructure in gut renovations, in addition to new buildings.
Supporters say the bylaw will singlehandedly decrease carbon emissions from buildings in Brookline -- which account for about two-thirds of the town's overall emissions -- by 15 percent over the next 30 years. It passed by a vote of 207 to 3 and is slated to take effect on Jan. 1, 2021.
"When you're in a hole, you stop digging," said Brookline state Rep. Tommy Vitolo, praising the measure. "We must reduce the carbon emissions in our buildings dramatically."
Climate action groups applauded the measure:
\u201cBrookline is making history to be the first city in the commonwealth the ban new gas hookups! Congrats! \n#mapoli\u201d— 350 Mass (@350 Mass) 1574355520
Kathleen Scanlon, a member of the Brookline Town Meeting and one proposals key backers, said that despite opposition from the utilities and many area developers--many of whom raised fears about construction costs and feasibility--constructing new homes with energy-efficiency in mind is the financially smart thing to do and will ultimately ease the transition to a future without fossil fuels.
"Our research indicates that it's cost neutral," Scanlon told WBUR, "and, over time, the operating costs are lower to go with an electric building system."
The Globe notes that the while the measure is far-reaching, there were some compromises built in. "Fuel piping will still be allowed for backup generators, cooking, laboratories and medical offices, and hot water systems in large buildings," the newspaper noted. "All other energy needs for new buildings--including heating and most hot water systems--will be required to rely on electricity."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Setting a new standard for other communities in the United States and elsewhere to follow in this age of climate emergency, the suburban town of Brookline, Massachusetts this week passed a sweeping new bylaw that prohibits nearly all use of natural gas and oil in the construction of new homes or in the renovation of existing ones.
According to the Boston Globe:
By an overwhelming margin Wednesday night, Brookline Town Meeting voted to ban oil and gas piping in future construction projects, becoming the first community in Massachusetts to pass such a measure. And while over 15 cities in California have passed similar bans, Brookline's bylaw goes further, prohibiting the installation of new oil and gas infrastructure in gut renovations, in addition to new buildings.
Supporters say the bylaw will singlehandedly decrease carbon emissions from buildings in Brookline -- which account for about two-thirds of the town's overall emissions -- by 15 percent over the next 30 years. It passed by a vote of 207 to 3 and is slated to take effect on Jan. 1, 2021.
"When you're in a hole, you stop digging," said Brookline state Rep. Tommy Vitolo, praising the measure. "We must reduce the carbon emissions in our buildings dramatically."
Climate action groups applauded the measure:
\u201cBrookline is making history to be the first city in the commonwealth the ban new gas hookups! Congrats! \n#mapoli\u201d— 350 Mass (@350 Mass) 1574355520
Kathleen Scanlon, a member of the Brookline Town Meeting and one proposals key backers, said that despite opposition from the utilities and many area developers--many of whom raised fears about construction costs and feasibility--constructing new homes with energy-efficiency in mind is the financially smart thing to do and will ultimately ease the transition to a future without fossil fuels.
"Our research indicates that it's cost neutral," Scanlon told WBUR, "and, over time, the operating costs are lower to go with an electric building system."
The Globe notes that the while the measure is far-reaching, there were some compromises built in. "Fuel piping will still be allowed for backup generators, cooking, laboratories and medical offices, and hot water systems in large buildings," the newspaper noted. "All other energy needs for new buildings--including heating and most hot water systems--will be required to rely on electricity."
Setting a new standard for other communities in the United States and elsewhere to follow in this age of climate emergency, the suburban town of Brookline, Massachusetts this week passed a sweeping new bylaw that prohibits nearly all use of natural gas and oil in the construction of new homes or in the renovation of existing ones.
According to the Boston Globe:
By an overwhelming margin Wednesday night, Brookline Town Meeting voted to ban oil and gas piping in future construction projects, becoming the first community in Massachusetts to pass such a measure. And while over 15 cities in California have passed similar bans, Brookline's bylaw goes further, prohibiting the installation of new oil and gas infrastructure in gut renovations, in addition to new buildings.
Supporters say the bylaw will singlehandedly decrease carbon emissions from buildings in Brookline -- which account for about two-thirds of the town's overall emissions -- by 15 percent over the next 30 years. It passed by a vote of 207 to 3 and is slated to take effect on Jan. 1, 2021.
"When you're in a hole, you stop digging," said Brookline state Rep. Tommy Vitolo, praising the measure. "We must reduce the carbon emissions in our buildings dramatically."
Climate action groups applauded the measure:
\u201cBrookline is making history to be the first city in the commonwealth the ban new gas hookups! Congrats! \n#mapoli\u201d— 350 Mass (@350 Mass) 1574355520
Kathleen Scanlon, a member of the Brookline Town Meeting and one proposals key backers, said that despite opposition from the utilities and many area developers--many of whom raised fears about construction costs and feasibility--constructing new homes with energy-efficiency in mind is the financially smart thing to do and will ultimately ease the transition to a future without fossil fuels.
"Our research indicates that it's cost neutral," Scanlon told WBUR, "and, over time, the operating costs are lower to go with an electric building system."
The Globe notes that the while the measure is far-reaching, there were some compromises built in. "Fuel piping will still be allowed for backup generators, cooking, laboratories and medical offices, and hot water systems in large buildings," the newspaper noted. "All other energy needs for new buildings--including heating and most hot water systems--will be required to rely on electricity."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.