The County of Marin now has a guiding document in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel use. The Marin County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on October 15 to approve a final Marin County Electrification Roadmap following months of public outreach and subsequent fine-tuning by the Community Development Agency’s (CDA’s) Sustainability Team.
If completed over time, key actions mentioned in the roadmap will equitably transition Marin’s buildings to be less reliant on fossil fuels and help the county adapt to science-backed climate change.
Sustainability Planning Manager Dana Armanino said CDA is thankful for all the support and feedback gathered from individuals, agency partners, and grassroots groups as they created and edited the draft roadmap, particularly the Marin Climate and Energy Partnership and the Electrification Roadmap Steering Committee.
“Transitioning to an all-electric future is a long-term endeavor that requires planning and thoughtful implementation over the next six to seven years,” Armanino said. “Now, we are turning to our towns and cities to encourage them to adopt the roadmap so the recommended policies are countywide and seamless.”
For years, the Board of Supervisors has prioritized environmental policies that promote adaptation to climate change and help ensure a sustainable future. CDA and the County have collaborated with many partners to develop programs that address climate change, encourage green building, recognize green businesses, and implement energy efficiency projects in County schools, special districts and cities and towns.
The Board’s action is directly tied to adjusting local practices in the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and water heating industries. Starting in 2027, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District is phasing out the sale and installation of new water heaters and space heaters that rely on gas. The State of California’s environmental agencies are working on regulations that would do the same.
“What we need to do is figure out how best to aid that market transformation,” Armanino said. “How do we remove barriers and friction in the process of acquiring and installing this equipment? How do we support and residents through the transition, and how do we grow the transformation so that it isn’t just focused on appliance change-outs? Our goal with the roadmap was to figure all of that out.”
Over 16 months, the Sustainability Team worked with the Electrification Roadmap Steering Committee, comprised of representatives from Marin’s towns and cities plus energy provider MCE. A public survey on the topic took place earlier this year. In the end, highlighted actions include development of new building codes to encourage electrifying new construction and existing structures, creation of a central hub to assist residents in such projects, and promotion of stakeholder engagement. Electrification measures will also be highlighted during the third annual online Marin County Green Home Tour, scheduled for Thursday, October 24.
The Sustainability Team maintains an Electrify Marin webpage that serves as a resource hub for rebates and tips. Stay connected with the Sustainability Team via on Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter), the Sustainability events webpage for workshops and community events, and the team’s quarterly newsletter.
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