Just weeks after Brookline voted to ban the installation of oil and gas pipes in new buildings as well as in extensive renovations of existing buildings, Jon Chesto at the Globe reports that some Newton City Councilors want to do the same thing. 

Here’s two excerpts from Chesto’s article:

Opponents representing various business development constituencies argue that this piecemeal approach to energy regulation will simply drive up construction costs and hinder economic development, while achieving minimal environmental benefits. They say the electricity-powered alternatives to natural gas, such as heat pumps, are more expensive and less effective.

 

[Newton City Councilor Emily] Norton, a former Sierra Club leader who oversees the Charles River Watershed Association, said she’s not really concerned about the impact on economic development. Instead, she’s more concerned about the role natural gas plays in global warming.