BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Members of PUSH Buffalo stood outside of a new build housing complex on Buffalo’s West Side Wednesday, to push for all new build homes and housing complexes to become all electric.
“New York State’s climate law recognizes that we need to phase out the mining, transport and burning of fossil fuels in a systematic way, starting with new buildings like this one,” said Ellen Banks, Conservation Chair of the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter.
“There are a lot of false narratives to try to scare us away from electrification in our homes,” said Jessica Azulay, Alliance of a Green Economy.
They want the State Assembly and Senate to pass the all electric building act, which would require all new builds in NY to be built all electric.
Some of the benefits of all electric new builds the group says includes affordability, lower energy bills for neighbors and the creation of jobs.
“For the record, I would be opposed to simply using electricity throughout New York State,” said Buffalo Common Council Member Joe Golombek Jr.
The bill does come with some challenges. Many members of the community, including Buffalo Common Councilmember Golombek fear it’s not a concept that would work in Buffalo.
He’s calling on reps from the state to come to Buffalo to clarify information about the state’s proposal to phase out fossil fuel heating.
“I think some of the information that’s out there is misinformation,. I think some of it is accurate and I think there’s a legit concern to put everything onto the grid,” he said. “One of the biggest issue I had during the storm in December was I had about 12 blocks and streets out of electricity almost a whole week.”
When questioned on the sometimes difficult weather in Buffalo and electricity often going out during storms, members of PUSH Buffalo had this to say.
“Even if you have a gas furnace in your home you will need some sort of electricity for it to work so you will need some sort of electricity for it to work,” said Johannes Rosemann, VP of Operations, Buffalo Geothermal.
While the bill still sits in committee, Republican Senator Robert Ortt said on the issue, “The reality is our residents, and our grid cannot handle this switch to all-electric, regardless of the hot air coming from politicians and unelected bureaucrats in Albany.”
The group says New York’s grid can handle the switch to electric.
