It would also require the commission to award funds under the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program for commercial and residential projects with building decarbonization technologies and investments that reduce greenhouse gas generation.

SB 32, concerning building decarbonization requirements for local governments, would require a city or county to amend its general plan by January 1, 2023, to include specifications and implementation strategies for decarbonization of newly constructed commercial and residential buildings.

In addition to Cortese’s decarbonization bill package, Assembly member Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) introducedAB 33 to prohibit the approval or appropriation of funding for the construction of new school buildings and new public buildings that have natural gas connections.

This bill would prohibit the commission from authorizing a gas corporation to provide service extension allowances or line installation allowances to its customers.

According to the CPSA, by including all state buildings, including schools, these bills would prohibit natural gas for use to heat swimming pools associated with such facilities, despite the fact that there is no commercial alternative to gas pool heaters that would not be substantially more expensive, take up more real estate, and require the use of more energy.