The City Council is pictured discussing a resolution at its latest meeting supporting U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy’s recently introduced Energy Choice Act at the federal level. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

An act has been introduced at the federal level to give municipalities a choice when it comes to clean energy and what might work best for them, and the Jamestown city council recently discussed a resolution that would allow them to pledge their support behind this act.

New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which was introduced in 2019, and the 2023 budget provisions are set to prohibit natural gas hookups in new buildings starting in 2026 for smaller structures and 2029 for larger ones. Congressman Nick Langworthy has introduced the Energy Choice Act at the federal level, with Senator Jim Justice of West Virginia sponsoring the companion bill to preserve local flexibility in energy decisions.

During Monday’s public safety committee meeting, Councilman Jeff Russell, R-At Large and chair of the public safety committee, summarized the resolution, saying it was a commitment by the City Council to express that if the full council agrees and votes on it, that they feel that residents of the city of Jamestown should have the right to choose their sources of energy for things like heating and electrification of their homes.

“So what this resolution basically states is that we, the Jamestown City Council, feel that the citizens of Jamestown should have the right if they want to use a gas stove, they should be able to use a gas stove,” Russell said. “If they are building a new home on some of our properties and empty, vacant lots they should be able to choose what source of energy they want to use. That’s what this resolution basically states is that we support the right to choice.”

Councilman Bill Reynolds, R-Ward 5, added to that, saying that going all electric has been pretty much proven that it will not work so the City Council is “jumping on the bandwagon” to say their citizens, developers, new businesses, etc. can have choice. If the resolution is approved at the next voting session it will be sent on to the state.

The resolution was discussed again at the work session that followed the Public Safety Committee meeting, and Russell said there that the state’s energy goals are “overly ambitious” in his opinion, and that the current timelines “are not feasible”.

“I’ve had conversations with engineers who state that the timelines are not feasible and will not work,” Russell said. “There’s a 20 to 25% gap, even if you have all of the renewable sources in there there’s still a 20 to 25% gap, and we will have to bridge that gap. Fossil fuels need to stay around longer and I think we’re going to have some major problems if these timelines are not changed that the governor wants to do.”

Russell said the proposed resolution is “all about choice.”