Eugene City Councilors say they need more information before they can move forward on a proposal to require all new building construction use electricity and not natural gas.
At a work session Wednesday, some councilors spoke of how reducing fossil fuel–based energy sources now,can be a legacy for future generations. Jennifer Yeh responded to concerns over the cost of the transition by pointing out the cost of inaction as climate change becomes more and more of a crisis.
“And we can kick this can down the road to the next generation or we can build them a solid foundation to continue the work we will do to make a healthier and safer and more resilient community,” she said.
The city may start with a requirement that only new residential construction be electric only. But there were numerous questions about the strength of the grid, equitability, cost, and more.
Mayor Lucy Vinis said it’s better to take time to come up with a solid policy.
“We can and should be a model for how to do this,” she said. “And so its important that we do it well because we want other cities to follow in our footsteps.”
Vinis said what the city of Eugene does can help power what happens at the state level.
City staff will bring answers to councilor questions to a future work session before July 31st.
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