Photo: Justin Henry via Creative Commons 2.0
December 10, 2020 (BOSTON, MA) – Massachusetts needs to abandon natural gas if the state is going to meet its ambitious climate goals, but existing policies fail to define a path to get us there. A report released today from Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) details the policy changes that will be necessary to shift the Commonwealth’s homes and businesses off of gas heat and on to clean alternatives like heat pumps.
“Continuing to rely on gas will spell disaster for our climate goals,” said Caitlin Peale Sloan, Interim Director of CLF Massachusetts. “Gas is not a safe or clean alternative to oil, and we must phase out its use to heat our homes. There are better options out there and it’s time Massachusetts gets serious about new policies that will get us off gas once and for all.”
You can find a copy of CLF’s report here.
The report found that new rebates, prioritizing investments in low income and rental properties, changing building codes, and reforming gas utilities must all be part of the effort to get off gas.
Investments in new gas infrastructure not only contribute to climate pollution, but they also stand in the way of the clean energy investments the region needs to meet our climate goals and help keep our communities healthy and thriving. Alternatives like heat pumps provide a much cleaner and safer way to heat our homes.
CLF experts are available for further comment.
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