My neighborhood was recently inundated by utility workers carving coffin-sized holes in front of every house, threading new gas pipe under street and yard to move gas meters outside of houses for easy emergency access. The crew hustled feverishly for over a week to finish our block.
This project was simply to move meters. But the cost per mile of new gas pipe installation is between $6 million and $8 million (Building Decarbonization Coalition source). Imagine the cost of gas line replacement or moving meters across Minneapolis! Then, once installed, we are committed to using this grid as long as it will last – roughly 60 years. But we don’t have 60 years to make a clean energy transition. The LNG we rely on for heat is essentially methane gas 80 times more potent than CO2 at warming our climate and we have wisely set goals in both city and state to be rid of it 100% within the next three decades.
The $6-8 million per mile we spend replacing gas grid could be spent instead on installation of geothermal network or solar for that matter. Every time we invest in gas infrastructure and fail to invest in clean energy paths, we willingly put our necks in a noose that is tightening by the day. Our city is poised to lead in the transition away from toxic gas burning. The Climate Legacy Initiative passed in 2023 provides $10 million per year for weatherization and electrification. An ordinance sanctioning franchise fee increases based on CO2 emissions that increases this fund to $100 million in five years would enable increased home weatherization and electrification.
We’ve begun to lead in this direction; let’s “step on the gas.” Our children deserve a clean energy future.
Todd Bartholomay
East Harriet
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