Tiburon supports countywide electrification plan

The Tiburon Town Council has endorsed the Marin Electrification Roadmap, an effort to reduce emissions throughout the county.

The Town Council voted 4-0 Wednesday, with Jack Ryan absent, to accept the plan. It aligns with the town’s goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas.

Mayor Holli Thier said the topic of electrifying Tiburon has been discussed frequently at council meetings. She said building-related emissions make up 41% of the town’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.

“Electrifying buildings is going to help us reach our climate goal, so I’m excited we are adopting this tonight,” she said.

In August, the county released its advisory plan to switch buildings from natural gas to all electric, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The “roadmap” outlines 10 key actions local jurisdictions can take to electrify buildings and proposes implementation by 2030.

The county plan fits with aspects of Tiburon’s “2030 climate action plan.” The town plan encourages residents to switch to 100% renewable electricity sources and electrify building systems and appliances that use natural gas.

Other town strategies that align with the county plan are investigating energy audits for both residential and commercial buildings when they are up for sale or remodeling, and adopting a green building ordinance for new residential or commercial projects that require green building methods, materials and energy.

The county plan does not force municipalities to implement its suggestions. It only lays out a way to reach these goals.

Marin has a goal of reducing emissions by 40% below the 1990 levels by 2030. Tiburon has an even more ambitious goal of reducing emissions by 50%.

Town staff have already partnered with the Marin Climate Energy Partnership, Marin Clean Energy and community groups to begin implementing the actions listed in the plan, according to a staff report.

Christine O’Rourke, sustainability coordinator for the Marin Climate and Energy Partnership, said the benefits of switching to electric energy include healthier air because gas appliances release harmful pollutants. Electrification also increases resilience in disasters, she said.

“Studies show that in a major earthquake, it could take days or weeks to actually get the electrical grid up and running, but it could take weeks to months to repair natural gas infrastructure and get natural gas back online,” O’Rourke said.

Councilmember Alice Fredericks asked when the town could expect legislation pushing for electrification. O’Rourke said the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has banned the sale of residential gas water heaters beginning in 2027 and the sale of gas furnaces starting in 2029.

O’Rourke added the California Air Resources Board is also developing regulations relating to water heaters and furnaces.

Thier said she is planning to propose new electrification rules to the council next year.