Lakewood Chamber of Commerce
Board of Directors
Policy Position
Oppose HB 1084
January 21st, 2021
The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors opposes HB 1084 – as it will add new hidden costs on the use of natural gas that will raise the price of heating and cooking for all consumers. The building code changes will also add thousands to the cost of new homes and renovations. Shifting building heating away from natural gas will put considerable strain on the regional electrical system, increasing the risks of region wide blackouts.
Building Code Changes
• Changes energy code from energy efficiency requirements to emissions standards and adds a requirement for heating and water heating to reduce direct and indirect GHG emissions. This would require homeowners considering a renovation to purchase new and costly electrical only appliances, regardless of the need to do so.
• Bans on-site natural gas heating and water heating by 2027. Removes consumer choice from the market.
• Removes statewide preemption of local building codes that are more strict than statewide. A blank authorization which would allow cities to make these changes even faster and go further.
Commercial Buildings
• Requires commercial buildings with 10,000 square feet or greater to meet standards developed in HB 1257 with a timeline to retrofit building heat away from natural gas on to electricity. Building owners also must create and implement an energy efficiency plan tailored to their building which increases over time.
Natural Gas System Changes
• Adds multiple new costs onto natural gas service companies. This will raise the costs of goods produced with natural gas and for consumers who rely on it for cooking and heating.
• Creation of a “Clean Heat Standard” with the express purpose of limiting natural gas use in residential and commercial buildings.
• Adds an “equitable distribution of energy and non-energy benefits” requirements onto a gas transition plan which must reduce GHG emissions and ID lowest cost strategies to reduce those emissions. This will add further costs on natural gas businesses.
• Requires customers pay for the entirety of a gas extension without spreading the cost over the service network, adding a considerable barrier to new natural gas service. This further makes expansion of natural gas to new homes and businesses cost prohibitive and acts as another limit on the use of the energy source.
Additional Factors
• Raises costs for natural gas consumers
• Bans the use of natural gas in new construction after 2027
• Increases the chance for a California-style blackout in the Northwest