(RoyalPatriot.com )- Following two years of discussion, on February 6, the City Council of Eugene, Oregon, decided to restrict the use of natural gas connections in new residential construction. This makes Eugene the first city in Oregon to do so.
The council first voted privately to reject the opponents’ plea to have the matter placed on the May ballot. DHM Research claims that 70% of those questioned are against the prohibition.
The council then voted 5-3 in support of the ban, saying it would cut carbon emissions and eliminate the air quality dangers of gas stoves in response to worries about climate change and public health.
Lucy Vinis, mayor of Eugene, was pleased with the decision.
During the meeting, Vinis said Oregon’s governor intends to construct 36,000 new homes yearly, and Eugene doesn’t want natural gas connections. Vinis said Eugene could show them “this is how it’s done” and lead by example.
Mike Clark, a council member, voted against the prohibition, saying that it would impede development and enrage the many people who were vehemently opposed to the idea and wanted the matter on the ballot.
Western Oregon Builders Association executive director Sid Leiken agreed with Clark.
Leiken said the unexpected decision taken by the Eugene councilors would do nothing to genuinely improve the environment and considerably harm the capacity of local builders to develop genuinely affordable housing.
He also noted that the Western Oregon Builders Association would join forces with the measure’s opponents to get it overturned.
Despite a deluge of public comments from local companies, restaurant owners, and everyday individuals opposed to the prohibition, this extreme policy to eliminate energy choice was adopted.
This restriction would make it much harder for people to find homes, and it would be too expensive for small companies to recover from the epidemic.
The resolution is “only a beginning step” toward eliminating the use of fossil fuels in Eugene, according to Councilwoman Jennifer Yeh. She said the progress would be gradual. It may take decades, but “we must take action now.”
Around 38% of all homes in the nation utilize natural gas for cooking.
Senator Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) tweeted that a ban on gas stoves would be a “recipe for catastrophe.”
Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, recently shared a picture of a gas stove emblazoned on the Gadsden Flag.
Mike McKenna, a Republican energy lobbyist, said the CPSC should focus on banning cigarettes and cars before focusing on stoves. “In all honesty, it’s a political statement,” he said.
