ITHACA,N.Y.(WENY)-- Local politicians and citizens concerned about the current state of the planet's climate gathered outside of New Roots High School during a rally to bring attention to the Renewable Heat Now Legislative Package. 

The Renewable Heat Now Legislative Package has three main acts:

The All Electric Building Act: An act that requires new buildings to be built without fossil fuel combustion systems or appliances starting for small buildings in 2024 and large buildings in 2027. 

Advanced Building, Appliance and Equipment Act: Reduces energy use and aligns the energy code with the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act with the goal of improving energy efficiency standards for the construction, rehabilitation of new buildings and appliances. The bill’s product and appliance standards are estimated to result in over $15 billion utility bill savings by 2035 for consumers, including an estimated $6 billion for low- to moderate-income families.

Gas Transition and Affordable Energy Act: Resolves contradictions between the Public Service Law and the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) and eliminates a fossil fuel subsidy that drives gas expansion and increases gas bills. 

May 19th’s rally focused on the All Electric Building Act as just last year the City of Ithaca voted to decarbonize all of its buildings by the year 2030, a goal that aligns with the city’s Green New Deal and one that Luis Aguirre-Torres, Director of Sustainability at City of Ithaca, feels is necessary. 

“It is interesting to hear people say I Can not imagine infrastructure without natural gas, well I can not imagine a future with Natural gas,” said Torres. 

Ithaca is the first U.S. city to establish a plan to decarbonize all of its buildings, a plan that the city says will cut Ithaca’s 400,000 tons per year of carbon dioxide emissions by 40%. 

Buildings have an average life span of 30 to 50 years and Assemblywoman Dr. Anna Kelles said it's important that this act get passed now so we can attempt to prevent any future warming of the planet. 

“What this package does, all it does, is start by pulling on the lowest hanging fruit of what we need to do in New York State to do our part,” said Kelles. “We need to make sure that we have code standards, building code standards and appliance standards that are the most efficient possible.”

Kelles argued that not only will going completely electric lower cities' carbon emissions but it will also bring good paying jobs. 

“I am not only supporting but I am a cosponsor and I am a champion of every single piece of legislation in this package because it creates jobs and because it will create good jobs,” said Kelles. 

According to a study done by the University of California, Los Angeles, “California’s transition to all-electric homes and buildings could support more than 100,000 construction jobs and 4,900 manufacturing jobs annually for 25 years”. It will also decrease gas extraction and utility employment by a maximum of 14,400 workers. 

The most recent Climate Report that was released by the UN in early April of 2022 said harmful carbon emissions from 2010-2019 have never been higher in human history and said that was evidence that the planet was on a fast track to disaster. 

Torres plans to lead the City of Ithaca down the right path by leading an effort to decarbonize all of its buildings by the year 2030 and he hopes this will inspire others to follow in the city’s path. 

“Right now we are talking about a future that we can build together, free of fossil fuels and I am challenging personally the governor, the legislature to do the right thing and pass this act,” said Torres.