An increasing number of studies show how indoor use of gas appliances emit toxic benzene and formaldehyde in addition to Nitrogen Oxide or NOX. NOX is regulated in diesel trucks, heavy machinery and industrial processes. But until recently, there has been no regulation of NOx for indoor environments. Advocates feel that The City of Bend can and should follow the example of San Francisco which adopted a zero NOx emission limit for water heating and new gas furnaces in all new buildings. Texas also has a low NOx standard for water heaters in commercial buildings. Nine states, including California and New York, just signed a heat pump agreement to clean up air pollution. The Memo of Understanding sets a 2030 target for heat pumps to make up 65% of residential heating, cooling, and water heating equipment sales. By 2040, the goal is for heat pumps to account for 90 percent of the HVAC and water heating market.
Diane Hodiak, executive director of 350Deschutes states, “Appliance policies are not a gas ban. The City will need to decide how it wishes to structure the appliance standards, but gas, as unhealthy as it is, will continue to be a part of the mix. This will not happen overnight”. Many realize that high efficiency heat pumps are more energy efficient, and in Oregon, can reduce heating costs by up to $800 yearly. (From Electrify Now, courtesy of Oregon DEQ) Moreover, the reasons to go electric for heat pumps, hot water heating, and cooking go beyond cost savings, and the climate and health outcomes would be huge.
A The California Air Resources Board study showed that inhaling pollutants from fossil gas (methane) appliances is linked to asthma, cancer, lung and heart disease. A study by Stanford University showed that gas stoves emit harmful pollutants even when turned off. Another 2022 publication jointly produced by SPUR, a nonprofit focused on California cities, and environmental nonprofits Sierra Club and RMI explored the links between residential and commercial appliances and smog. It found that these machines generate approximately four times as much NOx as the state’s electric utilities and around two-thirds as much as its light-duty passenger vehicles.
Youth are also concerned about their future. They look at rapidly growing climate driven wildfires and drought, and hope the City takes this vital step forward. “We need to stop gas instead of putting more and more infrastructure in. It harms our health and threatens a livable future for us”, says Nora Harren, a student at Oregon State University.
Buildings in Bend are about 52% of emissions. So appliance standards that require low to zero NOx appliances in new buildings would help significantly. Advocates hope that the City of Bend will act soon to protect the health and safety of residents: particularly underserved communities who are the most vulnerable to asthma and poor air quality. They also feel that taking a giant leap forward to reduce climate and environmental pollution would be a milestone. It’s something that multiple cities in Oregon are considering. Actions, they believe, that are critically needed and long overdue.
