In passing the Clean New Buildings Climate Act (CB5-2023), Howard County became the 100th local jurisdiction in the U.S. to adopt a policy encouraging or requiring all-electric buildings. Be sure to check out this very cool (and brief) 100 Cities announcement video.

Here are a few photos of us in our electric green t-shirts testifying in our Pack the Room event and at the Council vote and a video of the CB5 voting session. Our friends at CCAN issued a news release. Other news coverage includes: 

• CBS News Baltimore - WJZ-13

• Washington Informer

• Baltimore Sun

Thank you to all who able attend the Council hearing and/or the voting session wearing our electrifying  “Electrify HoCo'' t-shirts. We were a show of force. Thank you, as well, to all who signed letters, wrote emails, called Council members and submitted oral and written testimony. A special shout-out to the high school students, whose passion and commitment for a safe climate had an enormous influence on elected officials. Council members noted several times that community support was very strong and that they heard us loud and clear.

As noted during the voting session, this legislation is just step one: a report. As we like to say: This is the end of the beginning. The final HoCo Climate Action Plan was released in June 2023, and on October 11, 2023, the Howard County Council passed the HoCo By Design plan - a long-range, visionary document that guides land use, growth, and development decisions. 

We will need to stay active and strong throughout this year and into next spring, when we will gear up for the work of implementing the December report recommendations to require new buildings be all-electric. Councilwoman Deb Jung said near the end of the voting session: “I do hope that you will be back in a year once the report is issued and we are looking at step two, because ….that’s going to take some heavy lifting. We look forward to your continued support and participation in this process.”

Let’s keep the momentum going as we celebrate the passage of CB5 and move on to the next phase of building strong community support for #Electrify HoCo. We hope you join the Electrify HoCo/EOF Campaign to stay involved and up to date.

Good For the Climate:

• To achieve HoCo’s climate goals, buildings must meet their heating, cooling, and cooking demands with electricity instead of fossil fuels such as gas, oil, and propane.

• According to the county greenhouse gas inventory, 11% of the county’s emissions come directly from burning methane gas or propane in furnaces and appliances in buildings. 

• In addition to the direct greenhouse gas emissions produced from burning gas in furnaces and stoves, the gas also leaks as it makes its way from fracking wells in West Virginia and Pennsylvania into buildings and homes.

• Worst of all, for 20 years after it is released, methane is 86 times more powerful a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide!

Fossil Fuels are Dirty and Dangerous

• Homes with gas stoves have nitrogen dioxide concentrations up to 400% higher than homes with electric stoves!

• Gas stoves release the same pollution as an idling car! 

• Living in a home with a gas stove increases a child’s risk of having asthma by 42%

Gas stoves are a Primary Source of Pollution Inside the Home

• Gas stoves release several hazardous pollutants, notably nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide.

• Any exposure to nitrogen dioxide can cause respiratory effects.

• Lower-income households may be at higher risk of exposure to gas stove pollution.

• Gas stoves leak climate-warming methane even when they’re off. 

• For single-family homes, all-electric homes cost less to construct than new mixed-fuel homes.
  For multifamily buildings, all-electric costs about the same to construct as mixed-fuel buildings.

• For commercial buildings, all-electric buildings can have higher or lower construction costs than mixed fuel buildings depending on building type and use.

• At current utility rates, annual energy costs are comparable between homes with electric heat pumps and homes with gas furnaces. Gas rates have risen since the report was issued.

• Annual energy costs are lower for homes with electric heat pumps than for homes heated by electric resistance, oil, or propane.