The Newton City Council voted to amend and pass a new Electrification Ordinance as part of the Commonwealth’s Fossil Fuel-Free Demonstration Project. As stated in Article VI of regulations of Newton’s Public Buildings and Inspectional Services, “The purpose of the Fossil Fuel-Free Demonstration Project is to restrict and prohibit new building construction and Major Renovation Projects that are not fossil fuel-free in ten communities in Massachusetts.” The Project goal is to promote “the health and welfare of the city’s inhabitants” by reducing and mitigating greenhouse gasses and pollutants contributing to the negative impact of climate change.
The draft ordinance specifies the requirements for new construction as well as “Major Renovation Projects” and requires the use of electricity in place of fossil fuels in heating and cooling systems as well as in cooking and clothes dryers. Electricity or thermal solar power is required for hot water.
The draft ordinance passed by the City Council includes the following exceptions:
- Research Laboratories for Scientific Research
- Hospitals and Medical Offices
- Free-standing outdoor heating appliances that are not connected to the building’s natural gas or propane infrastructure
- Emergency generators
- Appliances to produce potable or domestic hot water from centralized hot water systems in buildings with a gross floor area of at least 10,000 if the architect, general contractor or engineer certifies that there are no commercially available hot water heaters that meet the building requirements
- Multi-family buildings over 12,000 sf applying for permits before January 1, 2027
- Restaurants
Councilor Bill Humphrey offered amendments to expand the exception for indoor/outdoor cooking appliances under certain circumstances, for permits filed prior to January 1, 2026. He also added exceptions for freestanding outdoor cooking appliances that are connected to the building’s natural gas or propane infrastructure.
Councilor Leonard Gentile voted against the Electrification Ordinance because he predicts that the increased use of electricity would require building substations in Newton at some point “down the road,” and the City Council would be faced with siting the substations. In addition, he opposed the ordinance because it tells people how they can or cannot cook.
