Tomorrow evening you will be receiving the Environmental Quality Commission’s recommendations for electrifying 95% of the City’s buildings.
I am writing in opposition to this proposal.
Homeowners should have the choice of how they wish to run their households. If they choose to embrace these environmental recommendations it should be up to them to pay for the costs associated with converting to alternative power sources.
For homeowners whose homes are currently powered by gas, the proposed measure places a potential undue hardship. Some of the older homes were not constructed with these more modern systems in mind, and the cost to install and comply with electrification could pose an undue burden. Some of the city’s oldest homes were built with fuse boxes and some of the earlier electric panels may not accommodate the power requirements of some of the more modern systems.
We already live in a time when we routinely hear commercials about limiting our electric usage during certain peak times. Why should the City Council even be considering a measure such as this one at a time when the power structure is insufficient to meet current needs? Should the priority not be to work with the power company to upgrade and increase their ability to supply the power needs that will be required should the City achieve its 95% goal of electrification? Once that assurance is received, then pursue your goals of converting residents to electrification. Until the power companies are able to reliably provide the needed supply it is Menlo Park residents and businesses that will suffer in the event of a power failure.
In addition, at this particular time, when homeowners and builders are severely constrained due to supply chain failures, why would the City Council even be considering a further restriction? My microwave went out about 3 months ago – I thought I would replace it. The appliance store indicated that it could not supply an appliance that fits the opening in the cabinet. Instead, they recommended a repair. The part has been on order for 3 months! Talk to any homeowner in the midst of a remodel or a builder and they will tell you that there are supply chain problems!
I would encourage our officials who were elected to represent us to consider the burdens this proposal makes on the population that elected them to their offices.
Carol Carnevale
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Carol Carnevale
Realtor®, CRS
Included in the Top Teams by the Wall Street Journal
DRE#: 00946687
m: 650.465.5958
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