Eight reasons to support I-2066 and stop natural gas bans

September 27, 2024

Washington voters have the opportunity this November to support I-2066 and protect natural gas as an energy choice in the state.

Supporters gathered more than 546,000 signatures in 50 days—the second most signatures gathered in history — to ensure Initiative 2066 made it to the November ballot.

“The groundswell of public support as well as our polling shows Washington overwhelmingly supports natural gas to warm our homes, cook our food and protect against power outages,” said Greg Lane, Executive Vice President of the Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW).

“Natural gas is critical to Washington’s quality of life as well as to their sense of security,” Lane said. “Without natural gas, many people in urban and suburban areas would find it difficult to have outdoor barbecues and other safe means of cooking and socializing outside. The ability to cook and have fireplaces/firepits that are clean burning outside is a way of life in our state.”

Eight reasons to support I-2066 and protect natural gas

Natural gas is under attack

Over the past several years, Washington’s political leaders have waged a war against natural gas in the legislature, at the State Building Code Council and in local governments across the Puget Sound region.

Through a series of laws, regulations, codes and local ordinances, they’re banning natural gas for new and existing customers.

Initiative 2066 protects the ability for families, restaurants and businesses to continue to use clean and efficient natural gas to heat their homes, cook their food and warm their water.

Banning natural gas hurts families

Whether you own or rent your home, banning natural gas increases costs for everyone. The cost to fully electrify a new home is at least $13,000 higher than it was to build using energy-efficient gas appliances before the new energy codes took effect.

The new energy code makes having natural gas appliances so expensive and difficult, it’s essentially a ban. It’s nearly three times more expensive to build with natural gas due to requirements to earn enough credits to comply.

Expensive conversions

New laws requiring energy companies to transition to full-scale electrification require existing homeowners to convert their gas stoves, water heaters, furnaces and other appliances to electric, at a cost of $40,000 or more when natural gas is no longer provided.

Substantial rate increases

Electrification leads to substantial rate increases for both gas and electric customers, even if customers don’t participate in electrification because rates change when either total costs or total sales change. Based on the information provided in PSE’s Updated Decarbonization Study, which is again limited to the replacement of residential heating equipment:

• Electrification will increase PSE’s electric rates by 8 to 37 percent by 2045.
• Electrification will increase gas base rates by up to 454 percent by 2045.
• These increases are incremental to the rate impacts customers will experience independent of electrification, which include substantial impacts from PSE’s compliance with the Clean Energy Transformation Act and the Climate Commitment Act in addition to the normal costs of running a utility.

Banning natural gas hurts restaurants and other businesses

Natural gas supports the energy needs of more than 100,000 businesses, restaurants and institutions. Washington’s diverse range of restaurants, breweries and other businesses require natural gas to make the world-class food, beverages and other products Washington is known for.

Over one third of manufacturers in Washington (36%) rely on natural gas to power their operations. Washington state, as a place with supplemental heating needs in the winter, has long been a producer of quality natural gas hearth appliances. The manufacturers who produce gas appliances have hundreds of employees and hearth products dealers also employ thousands of people around the state with good, family-wage jobs.

Voting no on I-2066 would crush these businesses and eliminate thousands of jobs. I-2066 keeps these businesses open, protects jobs and brings down costs for consumers.

Natural gas bans threaten our power grid

Washington’s energy companies regularly urge customers to turn down their thermostats in the winter or forego air conditioning in the summer to protect the state’s fragile electrical grid. At the same time, legislators and government regulators continue efforts to remove a vital energy source for homes and businesses.

Natural gas delivers warmth and comfort to more than 1.3 million Washington homes and businesses, 900,000 of those served by Puget Sound Energy.

On average, natural gas monthly utility bills are 33% less expensive than electrical utility bills.

What happens when they ban natural gas for homes and businesses? Demand for electricity will rise. Add in increased demand driven by the state’s ban on the sale of new gas-powered vehicles in 2030 and the problem gets worse.

How will our utilities produce all this new electricity? Hydropower, solar and wind can’t produce enough reliable energy to keep up. Utilities have already said they will need natural gas to produce more electricity. That’s the same natural gas homeowners and businesses will be banned from using. It’s more efficient to allow homeowners and businesses to use natural gas than it is to produce electricity from natural gas.

Banning natural gas leaves Washington in the cold

What happens when the power goes out? Power outages happen — even in Seattle. Customers often come to hearth and fireplace dealers following power outages looking for options for supplemental home heating.

Propane and diesel or regular gas-powered generators are often not an option to back up electrical systems because many houses are too close together, and ordinances or laws prohibit the noise or location of the fuel sources.

Wood is not an option due to burn bans and air quality issues — and many homeowners simply do not have access to firewood.

Natural gas fireplaces and related products are the safest, cleanest options for keeping homes warm during a power outage.

Access to natural gas can save lives

Access to natural gas fireplaces and home heating/cooking options in our urban and suburban areas could save lives. Every year we hear of people bringing barbecues and generators inside their homes to provide heat during outages. And every year, several suffer carbon monoxide poisoning and even death.

Making sure we are encouraging safe, vented devices in homes rather than banning them can save lives.

Natural gas is a clean alternative to woodstoves

For years, Washington state has had a woodstove changeout program designed to remove and replace old, non-EPA-certified devices in homes to help achieve EPA air quality standards.

Helping convert homes from older woodstoves to natural gas fireplaces in areas of non-attainment through this program has made our air cleaner in Puget Sound — particularly Pierce County.

With EPA standards becoming stricter, natural gas continues to help improve our air quality and meet the new air quality goals.

Nothing stops people from electrifying their homes

Nothing in I-2066 forces people to choose natural gas if they prefer other sources. I-2066 doesn’t eliminate clean energy incentives or reduce climate goals. It simply recognizes Washington needs a variety of energy sources. It’s the only way to protect against power outages, keep our homes and businesses warm, and cook the delicious foods we love.

Join us to help get out the vote

Help reach out to registered voters to encourage them to vote yes on Initiative 2066. Let’s Go Washington has groups going out every Saturday until Election Day, Together, the group plans to knock on every voter’s door and make sure they know: VOTE YES, PAY LESS this Nov. 5!