Proposed ordinance would bar fossil fuel piping in new buildings
By Morgan Rothborne, Ashland.news
The Ashland Youth for Electrification Campaign has announced a rally Wednesday afternoon to continue its push for a new ordinance to electrify Ashland.
The 2 p.m. rally will begin at the entrance of Lithia Park in Ashland, just south of Ashland Plaza. Participants will then “flood into” the Climate and Environment Policy Advisory Committee’s (CEPAC) 3 p.m. meeting to give testimony in support of a proposed ordinance to limit natural gas hook ups in new residential construction, according to a release sent by the host of the rally, the Rogue Climate Action Team.
The rally will include speeches, chants, music and art. Students and members of the Rogue Climate Action Team will be joined by community members and teachers, the release said.
CEPAC voted to move ahead with the ordinance during a June 6 meeting, according to the release, but still need to take steps to open a period of public comment to keep the proposed ordinance moving toward becoming an active prohibition on fossil fuels in residential construction. Wednesday’s rally is intended to push the committee to take next steps, the release said.
The push to pass the ordinance began in March when 400 Ashland High School students left school to rally and demand increased action from the city of Ashland on the climate and energy action plan. During the rally, the Ashland Youth for Electrification campaign was launched and “since then have been actively leading the charge for the city to meet the urgency of the climate crisis by implementing a policy to transition new homes off of fossil fuels,” according to the release.
Jess Grady-Benson, organizing director of Rogue Climate, could not be immediately reached for comment.
“CEPAC have been reviewing options regarding electrification and clean air policy to determine what might be feasible,” wrote Chad Woodward, staff liaison for the committee in an email.
The committee is determining how best to obtain public feedback at this time, he wrote.
The CEPAC is scheduled to meet from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Ashland Community Development Building at 51 Winburn Way, according to meeting materials on the city of Ashland’s website.
Email Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne at morganr@ashland.news.
