Massachusetts looks to ban gas in new buildings
Massachusetts lawmakers introduce a news bill, ‘An Act to further empower local climate action’ which would effectively ban natural gas in new construction. As the state makes efforts to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, it has prioritized building policies that phase out the reliance of fossil fuels. This follows states like New York, who won a case in federal court to enact asimilar regulations. As of now, New York still looks to be the first state to go all-electric.
In Massachusetts, some cities are ahead of this legislation. Brookline passed a bylaw in 2019 prohibiting new fossil-fuel infrastructure. Some local leaders have similar views on the issue.
“We’re a coastal community that’s going to bear the brunt of climate change,” said state Rep. Manny Cruz, a Democrat representing Salem. ?“We want to make sure we’re doing our part to mitigate the damage.”
The bill still faces committee votes in both the House and Senate.
