Eugene City Council repeals natural gas ban | News | kezi.com - KEZI TV
Eugene City Council repeals natural gas ban | News | kezi.com
EUGENE, Ore. – At its meeting on July 10, the Eugene City Council voted to repeal a controversial ban on using natural gas in new, low-rise residential construction.
Eugene’s ban on natural gas and other fossil fuels in new, low-rise construction was first passed back in February 2023. Councilors who voted to implement the ban cited the positive impact that not using fossil fuels would have on the environment. The ban was the subject of immediate controversy among citizens, with some supporting it for the same reasons as city councilors, and others expressing a desire to be able to choose how to heat their buildings among other reasons.
The ban was never implemented, as a successful campaign from Eugene citizens saw it referred to the November 2023 ballot. As the ordinance has been repealed by the city council, it will not appear on the ballot.
City officials did not say the council’s decision to repeal the ban was a response to criticism of the ordinance. Rather, councilors said the vote was in response to a federal Ninth Circuit Court ruling against a similar law in Berkeley, California.
“The City’s work on climate is time sensitive and urgent” said Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis. “Federal and state programs provide funding and authority that will have a huge impact in reducing fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions in our existing buildings. Now is the time to ensure our community benefits from these opportunities. The Council will return to discuss fossil fuel restrictions and reductions in new buildings when the legal status is clear.”
At the same meeting, city councilors also scheduled another meeting to discuss how they would go about meeting climate goals without the ordinance, and made plans to try to have a discussion before July 2024 about reducing fossil fuels in new construction.
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