In The News

D.C. Council overrides Mayor Bowser’s veto over housing program rules

A Washington Post article about the DC Council overturning a mayoral veto of unrelated housing legislation also reported that the Council also passed legislation that would offer subsidies for low-to-moderate-income residents to voluntarily convert gas appliances to electric, drawing applause from environmental advocates who filled the chamber. …

Three Key Environmental Issues on D.C.’s Budget Chopping Block

Residents focused on environmental and transportation issues have for years argued that the mayor’s proposed budget doesn’t match her rhetoric on environmental leadership. The D.C. Council unanimously passed the Healthy Homes Act in its second reading May 7, but the mayor’s budget proposal sweeps money from a dedicated fund back into the general budget, leaving the Healthy Homes Act unfunded….

Phantom Threat: Pipes

It’s no secret that America’s infrastructure has seen better days and our municipal gas pipelines are no different. The average gas line in the United States is more than 30 years old, with at least one dating as far back as the Civil War era––posing health, climate and economic hazards. Citizen scientists, like Washington Interfaith Network Volunteers Rosa Lee and Charlene Pierce, are tracking leaks in cities and homes, and clean energy advocates are pushing for a transition away from gas infrastructure altogether….

River Terrace Residents Unite Around FY 2025 Funding of Healthy Homes Legislation

With the unanimous first reading approval of the Healthy Homes Act on April 2, the D.C. Council inched closer to helping 30,000 low- and moderate-income D.C. residents take steps to convert their home appliances from gas to electric power. But Mayor Bowser’s budget proposal jeopardizes the implementation of the legislation by diverting money from the SETF to the payment of the District’s electric bills. …

Protesters slam gas group’s use of customers’ money to thwart climate efforts

A group of advocates and Democratic senators gathered in Washington DC on Tuesday to decry utilities’ practice of spending customers’ money to advance a pro-fossil fuel agenda. “Your home shouldn’t be hazardous to your health,” said Andre Greene, pastor of Varick Memorial AME Zion church, at the conference….

Senators, environmental groups push utilities to leave American Gas Association

Gas utility customers should not have to support American Gas Association (AGA) advocacy and lobbying when they pay their gas bills, lawmakers and officials with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, the Gas Leaks Project, the Washington Interfaith Network and the Sierra Club said during an April 9 news conference….

D.C. Council Weighs in on Gas-to-Electric Appliance Conversions

The D.C. Council unanimously approved the Healthy Homes and Residential Electrification Amendment Act, creating a program for low- and moderate-income households to volunteer for a District government-funded conversion from gas to electric appliances. …

Energy costs can imperil Black homeownership. DC legislation could help

The Healthy Homes Act, legislation before the DC Council that would help 30,000 low-income households upgrade their homes with clean energy, would be a leg up for thousands of residents who live in homes needing repairs and the high energy bills that come with such homes. The legislation would fund energy-efficient equipment, such as heat pumps, a move that can save residents anywhere from $500–$1,000 per year on their utility bills, while providing life-saving heating and cooling for many buildings that lack adequate HVAC systems. It would also cover the cost of much-needed repairs, electrical upgrades, and insulation….