Resident urges Fairport to remove natural-gas recommendation from municipal FAQ, asks for plan to reduce fossil‑fuel use

At the July meeting of the Fairport Municipal Commission, resident Jenny handed commissioners a printout of the municipality’s frequently asked‑questions page and asked the commission to remove language recommending residents switch to natural gas.

"I don't think it's responsible to have that given the climate crisis that we're in," Jenny said, calling the FAQ language a barrier to conversations about reducing fossil‑fuel use. She cited recent extreme heat events in Europe and urged the commission to develop programs that would help residents switch away from fossil fuels, including strategies to reduce peak electricity demand such as encouraging electric‑vehicle charging during off‑peak hours.

The request drew a brief response from the chair, who said the commission had discussed updating the FAQ for greater context and would revisit how the page reads as staff continues work on incentive dollars and rate structures. "We can certainly revisit the on and off peak approach as well," the chair said.

Jenny told the commission the number one response she hears from residents when encouraging electrification is concern about electricity availability; she said the FAQ recommendation that appears prominently on the site stops the conversation. She also pointed to existing programs from the distribution company that incentivize off‑peak EV charging as a model for demand‑management efforts.

The exchange did not produce a formal directive or vote. Commissioners agreed to follow up and to consider updated language and possible program proposals at a future meeting.

The commission’s next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 10.