Announcing the Release of the Multistate Action Plan for Zero-Emission Residential Buildings
Today marks the release of the Multistate Action Plan: Accelerating the Transition to Zero-Emission Residential Buildings (Action Plan), released by Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) and created under a multistate agreement signed by ten states. For the past two years we have collaborated with NESCAUM to convene the Environmental Justice Advisory Group (EJAG), to ensure that equity is embedded throughout the multistate agreement, and the now released Action Plan. The Action Plan represents a landmark step in advancing equitable zero-emissions heating and we are proud to share the Action Plan, accompanying Press Release, and EJAG Letter of Support, underscoring the importance of this work.
When NESCAUM first approached us about creating and facilitating EJAG, we knew we had to assemble an incredible team of regional experts. We leveraged our network, combined with targeted outreach, to identify a team of environmental leaders spanning Maine to DC that could speak to equitable zero-emissions heating. The past two years of conversations with EJAG started by identifying Guiding, which guided EJAG’s work in ensuring that equity was embedded throughout the multistate agreement and Action Plan, released today.
EJAG Guiding Principles:
Affordability: Policies should lower both upfront and ongoing costs so low- and moderate-income renters and homeowners can electrify their homes.
Legacy Issues: Electrification must address poor housing conditions and historic inequities without driving gentrification or displacement.
Air Quality and Human Health: Building electrification should measurably improve indoor and outdoor air quality and public health.
Education and Awareness: Culturally appropriate outreach and education are needed to build awareness of electrification in underserved communities.
Resilience Factor: Backup energy systems should protect vulnerable communities from the impacts of power outages.
Governance and Decision-Making: Communities must be true partners in shaping and implementing electrification policies.
Employment: Electrification should create inclusive workforce and business opportunities that benefit marginalized communities.
Enforceability: Policies must include clear standards, compliance mechanisms, and progress tracking.
After many conversations and rounds of review, including by environmental justice partners, technical advisors, state agency representatives, labor groups, the Action Plan is public – released in advance of New York Climate Week 2025. We are deeply proud of this work because it represents true partnership between EJ voices and state leaders, valuing EJ input as vital and important.
Read EJAG describe why this Action Plan is impactful in their own words in their Letter of Support. The Action Plan opens the door to many important energy and equity-related issues. In the coming months, we will continue conversations with the EJAG and other partners on topics that came up during this process, including:
Model Rule for Industrial Emission Reduction – Following the interest and success of the multistate agreement and Action Plan for Residential Buildings, NESCAUM and EJAG are interested in facilitating another similar process for industrial building emissions reduction.
Environmental Justice and Labor Dialogue – Labor was a key piece brought up during the recent Action Plan process, with two things being very clear:
Lasting, equitable, and efficient building emissions reduction is not possible without collaboration between EJ and labor.
More conversations are needed to explore common ground between EJ and labor.
We are currently in contact with various EJ and labor groups and are looking to secure funding to facilitate a convening series on the intersection of EJ and labor issues.
We are excited to continue this work and invite you to stay connected. To connect with us, please email Liana Quiñones (lquinones@equnival.com).