Council delays vote on gas‑line decommissioning pilot after federal funding uncertainty; staff asked for timeline and grant details

City staff told the council on Feb. 18 that Albany had secured a Department of Energy (DOE) grant to pilot electrification assessments and to map how to decommission a gas distribution section in conjunction with building electrification. Staff asked the council to authorize use of $125,000 from the city’s Measure DD climate action and adaptation reserve to continue the outreach and assessment work while DOE reimburses the project under the grant agreement.

A staff presenter (substituting for the program manager) summarized the project’s phases: community outreach and engagement; electrification assessments and design for selected buildings; and a later construction phase to implement electrification and decommissioning. The presenter said the city has an executed agreement with DOE and an outreach plan prepared by a consultant, Environmental Justice Solutions, and requested council appropriation of up to…