(Queens Gazette) City Council Member Costa Constantinides, joined by environmental groups and others, rallied in support of his bill INT. 642 on May 25. The legislation would ensure more sustainable energy consumption by increasing the use of biodiesel in home heating oil. The bill would increase biodiesel use from the current standard of 2% to a 5% blend, and then raise that blend incrementally until we get to 20%.
The increase from a 2% to a 5% blend would have an environmental impact equivalent of taking 45,000 cars off the road. A 20% blend can reduce carbon emissions by up to 40%, equivalent to taking 300,000 cars off the road. It would reduce the fossil fuel content of heating oil and increase use of a renewable energy source.
There are currently 34 co-sponsors in the Council. At an October 2015 hearing on INT. 642, the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, the Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater New York and several environmental advocates testified in favor.
Cleaner heating oil has been a priority in New York City’s efforts to combat climate change. In 2012, Mayor Bloomberg signed into law a bill that required home heating oil contain a 2% biodiesel blend. This year, Mayor de Blasio included cleaner heating oil as part of the OneNYC plan’s progress and highlighted the elimination of the dirtiest heating oil, B6 Oil.
These policies showed results. According to the Community Air Survey released in April, the significant improvements we’ve seen in our air quality have been in our building emissions due to a conversion to cleaner heating oil.
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There would be no added costs to homeowners if this policy is enacted. The cost of biodiesel has historically been on parity with, or slightly cheaper than, standard heating oil. In fact, over the last 4 years, biofuel has been less expensive than conventional heating oil by an average of 21 cents per gallon.
This policy would also bring additional green jobs. Biodiesel is predominantly sourced from used cooking oil from New York’s 24,000 restaurants. The biodiesel industry supports thousands of jobs, including the Teamsters Local 553 who transport the fuel to buildings. READ MORE