Ordinance Amending City of Boston Code, Ordinances, Chapter VII, Sections 7-2.1 and 7-2.2, Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure (BERDO).
Docket 0775. The Committee on Government Operations, to which was referred on June 16th, 2021. Docket number 0775 An Ordinance Amending the City of Boston Code Ordinances. Chapter seven, Section seven, Dash 2.1 and seven. Dash 2.2. Building Energy Reporting and disclosure, known as Bourdeaux, submits a report recommending the audit ordinance ought to pass in a new draft. Thank you, Madam Chair. No, thank you, Madam Clerk. Chair recognizes Councilor Edwards, the chair of the Committee on Government Operations. Councilor, would you have the floor? In a moment. But before we get to the substance of the the ordinance, I'd like to substitute the committee report. There was one passed around earlier to all my colleagues. All the changes, all the amendments are just technical and slight grammatical and just for clarification purposes. So I move to have the new report submitted here. Hearing no objections, the substitution of language council. I would you may. You may proceed. Thank you all. I am excited to bring this this ordinance before the body for a vote. This ordinance has been years in the making, and it's the second version of expanding our building emissions reductions in the city of Boston. This this is after the result of a robust hearing with many, many people in two working sessions where we made sure that we had all of the feedback and the concerns addressed in each one of them. And I want to I want to thank again the advocates who came out. There's just too many organizations to to name. But they were instrumental in this in this moment and in the conversation, which I thought was incredibly respectful, informative and inclusive. It was in three languages, at least two, as all of us really recognize, that we are all stakeholders in our future and an agreement at that. I want to thank Councilor O'Malley for his leadership, and I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to him as a lead sponsor for any further remarks. That's okay with you. Thank you, Councilor Edwards. Chair now recognizes the original sponsor. Councilor O'Malley. Councilor O'Malley, you have the floor. Thank you. Chair, if you could just press. Thank you very much. You know you're good. I am good. One more time. There you go. Now get good. You got it. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. You got it. You know, fatherhood offers one hell of a perspective. Not only does it really make you or parenthood, I should say, offers one hell of a perspective. Yes, I really I just said hell of a twice on the council floor, because I'd be yelling at all of you for doing so. I you have a dispensation. Thank you. But it really has helped me sort of appreciate the important things in life and also take stock of of of what we should be grateful for. And I am incredibly grateful for standing in front of all of you and having this opportunity to bring this amendment. This we call it an ordinance that's actually technically an amendment. But to bring it to a vote and I'll tell you a little bit story that when I was first elected, 2010, November 30th, 2010 is when I was sworn in. I actually had a really good office for a month and then a month later, as the newest member, I was bumped down to what is now a niece's office and I was there languishing for many years. The other thing in those days, committee assignments were doled out strictly by seniority. Martin can tell you this like no matter how many years you had, if you weren't on the right side of a council presidency vote, you wouldn't get the it didn't matter. You'd get the committee based on your years of service. I mention this to say that the last committee that anyone wanted in 2011 was the Committee on the Environment. So it went to me the most junior member and joke's on all of my colleagues. At the time that was the committee I most wanted and have had every year for the last 11 years. And we've done some great things. We've done some great things together from the plastic bag ban and wetlands, community choice, energy composting, the paperless pay stuff. Did you know that there was no opportunity at the beginning when I was first elected to opt out of getting my biweekly pay stub, our our salary is set by statute. It's not like it's going to change. And I couldn't opt out of it in those days. And I was actually criticized when I said let's let's have an opt out feature like most banks in the 21st century. And I say that to say of everything I've worked on legislative say this is the most proud I've ever been and I am the one who's lucky enough to introduce this. But the fact of the matter is, it is the people behind me. It is the people to our left and to our right. It is the people who couldn't be in this room because I said we're going to limit the crowds because I'm still we're going to be focused on COVID and being safe. This is all of us. This is collectively the work of eight years. We did Burton 1.0 in 2013. Tom Menino deserves enormous credit. This guy had better political instincts than anyone I've ever met and never got the credit he deserves. But he saw this coming. We were the first city in the country to simply say, you have to manage and measure your greenhouse, get your utility usage. That's it. There was no there was a fine associated with not complying. But in eight years, Alison, we've we've assessed how much and fined $0 because people did it and people realized this was the important thing to do, that ordinance, by the way, it passed. But it was a it was a vote of 9 to 4. And it shows how far we've come as a city. It was so it seems quaint now that that there was debate over that. And I don't mean to count my chickens before they've hatched, but I feel pretty good because of the great conversations and leadership of all of you of how we're going to have this vote today . But my point is, eight years ago we started this and this is the culmination. And it's because of the people in this room, the people who have put the blood, sweat and tears, recognizing the fact that climate change is an existential threat and it's up to cities and towns to lead. And we can do that. We have before us the most impactful decarbonization law that I would argue is anywhere in this country. We're going to lead on this. We've done we're not the first, but we are absolutely the best. We are going to decarbonize our large buildings over the next 25 years, full stop. And we're going to work to make sure that all of the work is centered around equity equality, addressing environmental justice communities and working with the institutions to get it right. And we had a question at that little presser earlier about the business community. It was a fair question. Business community has been largely supportive of this. Eight years ago, if you were here, Frank was here at the time. I think you're probably the only one here at the time. Eight years ago, when we were doing the first part of it, you had people actually lobbying councilors saying, you can't do this, you can't move ahead on this. You probably haven't heard from a lot of folks because people recognize the importance of what we're trying to do here. It will be absolutely ground breaking beginning in 2025 and following every five years thereafter. Through this ordinance, we'll be setting aggressive but achievable metrics. And that's the key point. We could have easily passed an ordinance saying we're going to decarbonize all of our buildings by 2030 and it would probably pass, you know, probably signed into law, but there'd be no blueprint to get us there. This actually does get us there. We're going to have aggressive but achievable metrics for buildings to reach a substantial cut in their greenhouse gas emissions. Obviously, we have different classifications and requirements for each building type from our hospitals to our commercial buildings, and we'll work with building owners to help them meet their goals and have already started those converts. With many, many stakeholders who are interested in getting a head start. Now, I'm hesitant to do this because I am sure I will leave someone out, so I apologize ahead of time. But I just needed to thank several individuals, starting with my chief of staff, Jessica morris, who has done such great work on my side on this and everything environmental for. To share. Lydia Edwards, who, you know, gave me high praise indeed, at the last working session, she said, this is the best working session I've done as government office chair, and it's largely because of her. She gets it. She understands it. She dives in the weeds and you facilitate an amazing process. Special shout out to Christine O'Donnell as well from central staff who has been. There for some. Thank you, Christine. Alison Breezes is our environment commissioner. She has been our quarterback this entire time on behalf of an incredible team. Brenda Pike, Kat Eshel, Hannah Payne, Stasia Shapira, Maurice Lodhi, Ben Silverman. Kathleen Hard, all working and supporting Alison. In this role, you have been marvelous. Thank you so. Much. Alison, this. Two, Chief Mariama White. Hammond, and before her chief Chris Cook, an unlikely duo as you will meet, but two of the most effective environment chiefs this city has ever said they helped get us here as well. Advocates. My God, many of whom are sitting behind me. Ricky Harvey. Andy Krasner. Anthony Camargo. Andy Wells Been. Dwayne Tindall. Sophia Owen. Michelle Brooks. Mark Lowe. Andrea Ad Carson Atkinson. And the team from one square world are off. Will, Emily, Tim and Larry from the DC special shout out for Tim Sullivan as well, who used to work here, who has been an amazing partner to me through this work as well, Mary Malta and so many stakeholders, especially those who are impacted by this ordinance. We've worked with all of you to achieve the best possible standards so we can all lead and achieve carbon neutrality goals. Our hospitals. Maskell This another instance about, you know, how the business community feeling. Maskell sent all of us a letter of support of this. That was a big gap. And if I may be a bit immodest, I will. I worked incredibly hard this summer working to try to find that common ground with folks without sacrificing what we set to do in this ordinance. And that wasn't always easy, but it was important and we want to get it right. And that's precisely what we are doing here. We're going to vote on this. The mayor is going to sign it, and we are going to cut begin cutting 37 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the next 30 years. This ordinance affects 4% of our total building stock. That's 3500 buildings. Yet those 4% of buildings account for nearly 60% of all building emissions. I'll be asking for a vote now on this transformative climate policy. I thank each and every one of you, my colleagues, all of you to a person. This is legacy stuff for all of us. This is stuff that we can say we voted on and we got it last time and I'm not going to do it again. But last time I cited all of our children's names. It's going to be these kids and their kids in generations to come that we are absolutely leading. I am enormously proud and grateful for each and every one of you. Now let's get this done. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank. Thank you, Count O'Malley. Job well done. Is there anyone else looking to speak on this matter? Not seeing any. Chair Edwards and Counsel O'Malley seek acceptance of the committee report and passage of Docket. 0775 in. A new draft. All those in favor say i. I. All those opposed say nay. Doubt the vote. Yes. Madam Clerk, will you take a roll call? Please be my honor. Good job, man. And I had black hair when it was eight years. Well. I do. I get 0775. I'm sorry. Counsel Arroyo. Counselor Arroyo? Yes. Counselor Baker. Counselor Baker. Counselor Bach. Counselor Bach. I Counselor Brady. Counselor, bring Counselor Campbell. Counselor Campbell. Yes. Counselor Edwards. Counselor Edward Diaz. Counselor Sabi George. Counselor Savage. George has. Counsel Clarity. Counsel clarity is. Counsel Flynn. Counsel Flynn is. Counselor me here. Counselor Me here. Counselor O'Malley Yes, I was just wondering about that. Counsel Counselor. Well, yes, Mr. Chair, docket number 0775 just passed unanimously. Thank you. Thank you all. Thank you. This is this is incredibly special. Moving right along. That was our only report of committee. So matters recently heard for possible action. Madam Clerk, would you please read docket 0398?