Mayor Brandon Johnson is pushing a plan that would end natural gas hookups in new buildings and homes as the city aims to phase out fossil fuels that intensify the climate crisis, but the idea is already drawing resistance from some unions.
Johnson plans to introduce a “clean” buildings ordinance Wednesday that would end new gas hookups for cooking, heating and hot-water tanks and require electric power instead. Chicago would follow other cities, including New York, in setting a future ban on the carbon dioxide-emitting gas. Illinois has its own goal of phasing out all fossil-fuel energy sources by 2050.
The idea has been kicked around Chicago in recent years. In October 2022, City Hall announced that outside advisers, including advocacy organizations, had recommended a ban as part of a larger climate-fighting plan. Those recommendations inspired the buildings ordinance, which was not publicly available as of Monday.
The law would set an indoor emissions standard that eliminates use of fossil fuels in new construction and building additions of more than 10,000 square feet. It would likely go into effect one year after it’s passed by the City Council.
Gas would be replaced by all-electric systems.
“It’s a no brainer for anyone building new construction today,” said John Gay, president of architecture firm JAQ Corp.
The late 2022 idea was floated even as Peoples Gas continued to replace underground pipes, a program that was estimated to spend billions of dollars to lay hundreds of miles of pipeline. That project is on hold while state officials investigate the utility’s spending and delays on the plan.
The utility, which defends its pipe-replacement project, said in a statement that the “proposed ordinance would increase costs and risk reliability.”
In addition to the climate-mitigating benefits, supporters, which include dozens of advocacy and business groups, point to the health impact from burning gas.
While Johnson is backed by health and environmental proponents, the upcoming debate points to a possible showdown with labor.
One of the most powerful unions in the state, Local 150 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, opposes the proposed city law, saying “a ban restricts options.”
“We want to be part of a plan that addresses the goals of a cleaner city, while providing a range of energy options that set Chicago up for growth in the future,” said spokeswoman Kristine Kavanagh.
Sean Gaurige, business manager for the UWUA Local 18007 Gas Workers Union, said electric power outages show that natural gas is still needed.
“We just had this cold snap a couple days ago and heard all over the news 20,000 ComEd [electric] customers out. Forty-thousand customers out,” he said. “You probably didn’t hear any Peoples Gas customers out. Gas is more reliable.”
Echoing the union concerns, Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th) and a group of nine alderpersons publicly opposed the plan on Monday.
“Before an ordinance is even crafted, it should be studied,” Villegas said in an interview.
