SAN FRANCISCO—A proposal from San Francisco Board of Supervisor Rafael Mandelman banning natural gas in new buildings was passed on Tuesday, November 10. Starting in June 2021, at least 54,000 homes and both privately and publicly owned buildings will have alternatives such as electric heating and cooling systems.
An ordinance was released on November 10 detailing the motion. In Section 2: Findings Regarding Local Conditions states:
“San Francisco’s geologic and topographic conditions produce increased risk for earthquake-induced failure and consequent fire due to local hazardous seismic microzones, slide areas, and local liquefaction hazards. Natural gas infrastructure may rupture, fail, and/or explode due to earthquake-induced structural failure.”
Regarding his legislation being passed, Mandelman posted on Twitter:
“All-electric construction in new building is a critical step toward a safer, healthier San Francisco and planet for future generations.”
San Francisco is the latest city in California to phase out natural gas to lower the exposer to greenhouse gas emissions. Other cities that have passed similar legislation include Berkeley and San Jose.
