Blogs

FERC Nominations Voted Out of Committee; APGA Joins Letters of Support

By Renée Lani posted 11 days ago
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On November 18, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted to advance the nominations of Mark Christie and Allison Clements as commissioners for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). If confirmed by the Senate, they would provide FERC with a full quorum of five commissioners composed of three Republicans and two Democrats. To voice support, APGA joined a coalition letter asking Senate leadership to promptly schedule a floor vote of the nominees. Signed by over 20 organizations representing a broad array of industries, companies, and labor unions, the letter describes FERC’s role in ensuring access to reliable and affordable energy and ...
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EIA Reports Storage Increase of 31 Bcf to Put Working Gas Storage at 3,958 Bcf

By Audrey Casey posted 11 days ago
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Here is the weekly EIA Summary Report issued on Thursday, November 19, which reports the week’s storage report highlights for Friday, November 13. A 31 Bcf increase has been reported. Working gas in storage was 3,958 Bcf as of Friday, November 13, 2020, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net increase of 31 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 293 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 231 Bcf above the five-year average of 3,727 Bcf. At 3,958 Bcf, total working gas is within the five-year historical range.
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APGA Responds to Colorado Rulemaking

By Stuart Saulters posted 11 days ago
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On November 12, APGA provided comments in response to a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Pollution Reduction Roadmap proposed by Colorado’s Governor Polis and several members of his Administration. Given the potential to impact APGA's members in Colorado, as well as one of the Direct Use Task Group (DUTG) members that is an investor-owned utility, it was important to contribute. There is also potential for a precedent, and for this reason, too, APGA engaged. APGA staff worked with the pertinent stakeholders to develop comments detailing how natural gas utilities are good stewards of the environment, evidenced by the way they maintain and operate. Natural gas can provide ...
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APGA Speaks on a Panel at CIBO Annual Meeting

By Stuart Saulters posted 11 days ago
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Last week, APGA was part of a panel at this year’s Council of Industrial Boiler Owners (CIBO) Annual Meeting. Along with representatives from the American Gas Association (AGA), the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE), and the Gas Technology Institute (GTI), APGA staff shared how the recent election results could impact the future of industrial energy. Specifically described by APGA was that environmental issues are a focus of the President-elect, with it being one of only four issues detailed on the transition website, www.buildbackbetter.com. In reading through the President-elect’s focuses for environmental policy, there is an emphasis on appliances ...
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Arthur Corbin Elected GTI Board of Directors Vice Chair

By Michael Todd Brady posted 11 days ago
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Mr. Arthur C. Corbin , President and CEO of the Municipal Gas Authority of Georgia (MGAG), has been elected to serve as the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) Board of Directors Vice Chair. He has spent the past 13 years as a GTI Director and chairs the Audit Committee. APGA and the APGA Research Foundation (RF) congratulate Arthur on this achievement. APGA and the RF work closely with MGAG and GTI to promote the natural gas industry and invest in technology that improves safety and efficiency for employees and customers nationwide. “With over three decades at MGAG, Arthur has unparalleled insight into the circumstances municipalities face as they operate their ...
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APGA Comments on Nationwide Permit Program Proposed Rule

By Erin Kurilla posted 11 days ago
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On November 6, APGA submitted comments to the Army Corps of Engineers’ proposed rule to Reissue and Modify Nationwide Permits. APGA supports the Nationwide Permit (NWP) program as it has promoted prompt permitting of critical infrastructure. Since the NWP program began in the 1970s, the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) must renew the program every five years. While the program is not up for renewal until 2022, the Corps decided to propose an interim rulemaking that would renew the program with some modifications. Although the proposal contained many elements, APGA focused our comments on the proposal to split Nationwide permit 12 (NWP 12) and issue two new Nationwide ...
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APGA Responds to DOE’s NOSPIR Pertaining to Separate Product Classes

By Renée Lani posted 18 days ago
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On November 9, APGA submitted joint comments in response to the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) notice of supplemental proposed interpretive rule (NOSPIR) and request for comment re: energy conservation standards (ECS) for residential furnaces and commercial water heaters . The comments request that DOE take prompt action to publish a final and appropriate response to the 2018 Gas Industry Petition, while also noting additional considerations that should be taken into account only after the petition is appropriately responded to and the individual appliance rulemakings resume. With its comments, APGA hopes for the agency to quickly finalize its initial proposed ...
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APGA Responds to DOE Proposed Error Correction Rule Amendments

By Renée Lani posted 18 days ago
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On November 9, APGA submitted a joint letter with Spire in response to the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) and request for comment pertaining to proposed clarifying amendments of the Energy Conservation Program’s Error Correction Rule (ECR) . Through the brief comments, APGA notes its general support of DOE’s proposed amendments to the ECR but opposes the agency’s intention to not require the error correction process as part of all energy conservation standard (ECS) rulemakings. The ECR was intended to allow “public input on possible corrections to pre-publication drafts of [ECS] documents.” The proposed amendments would ...
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APGA Remembers George Bronson

By Audrey Casey posted 18 days ago
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George A. Bronson passed away peacefully at his home on November 10. George was a former Chairman of APGA. He was born in Texas and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. He went on to obtain his MBA from Regis University in Denver, Colorado. George was in the gas industry for 30 years; 19 of which were spent in the municipal systems. He started his career with Colorado Interstate Gas in 1977 and worked for the company through 1983. He then went into private consulting with Burger and Associates and worked for them for two years on litigation cases arising from oil and gas drilling in the Texas Panhandle. ...
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APGA Remembers Dick Shaw

By Audrey Casey posted 18 days ago
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On November 8, the natural gas industry lost a true icon with the passing of Dick Shaw. Dick was born in Chicago and proudly served in the Marines. After his time in the Marines, he moved to Florida and started his career with Phillips Engineering in 1974 before joining Equipment Controls Company in 1994, working there until his retirement in 2018. Anyone who lived in Florida and was in the natural gas industry, surely knew Dick Shaw. More than a “gas man,” Dick was a great man who had countless friends within the industry and loved his family above all else. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him or had the pleasure and honor of working with him. APGA ...
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Industry Submits Comments on Gas Regulatory Reform Rule

By Erin Kurilla posted 18 days ago
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On October 7, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) held a Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC) meeting on the Gas Regulatory Reform Rulemaking. APGA is represented on this advisory committee by Rich Worsinger from Wilson Energy in North Carolina. There are 10 proposals in the rule: 1. Provide flexibility in the inspection requirements for farm taps; 2. Repeal distribution integrity management program (DIMP) requirements for master meter operators; 3. Repeal submission requirements for the mechanical fitting failure (MFF) reports; 4. Adjust the monetary damage threshold for reporting incidents for inflation; 5. Allow remote monitoring ...
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APGA Presents at LGA PSC

By Stuart Saulters posted 18 days ago
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During the first week in November, Stuart Saulters, APGA Vice President of Government Relations, spoke at this year’s Arkansas Gas Association (AGA) Annual Conference. APGA staff led the discussion called Public Gas Systems Speaking Up about Electrification. A brief introduction of the electrification issue was provided, and then, details were given on how public natural gas systems are engaging in both regulatory and legislative discussions that will ensure Americans continue to have energy choices. The presentation also talked about the positive communications efforts, including the Natural Gas Genius campaign and the recent op-eds APGA has had placed. To see ...
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APGA Presents at November LDC Forum

By Stuart Saulters posted 18 days ago
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In a very successful use of technology, APGA staff was able to present remotely from Washington, D.C., to both in-person and virtual attendees at this week’s Natural Gas Forum 2020. Stuart Saulters, APGA Vice President of Government Relations, opened the forum with a keynote specifically discussing how natural gas is part of the solution to America’s clean energy future. In the presentation, ways America’s public natural gas utilities are speaking up regarding legislation and regulation were detailed. Examples discussed were states passing balanced energy legislation in Arizona, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Louisiana, as well as the positive changes to the Department ...
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Election Update

By Doug MacGillivray posted 18 days ago
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The dust continues to settle on the 2020 election, with some races still outstanding. With the Presidency settled, all eyes have turned to the Senate and the two runoff elections in Georgia. Republican incumbents Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue face off against Rev. Ralph Warnock and John Ossoff for their respective party's control of the Senate. Combined, these are anticipated to be the most expensive Senate races ever. There are a few outstanding races in the House, but Republicans significantly cut into the Democrat majority, netting seven seats and far outperforming expectations. APGA members can view a full election breakdown presentation at www.apga.org/webinars. ...
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2020 Election Overview

By Doug MacGillivray posted 25 days ago
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As expected, the 2020 election did not end on Tuesday night. A protracted vote tabulation scenario was almost a given, with several states remaining too close to call. It remains unclear how the legal challenges will play out. Congressional elections, on the other hand, have been mostly finalized. In a rather shocking result, Republicans vastly outperformed expectations by (presumably) holding on to the Senate and actually picking up House seats, rather than losing an additional 10-20. Both Georgia Senate seats will go to a runoff, so the 2020 election will live on for at least a few more weeks. You can view APGA's full election summary here . Now Congress ...
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APGA Submits Comments to CRS on RNG Standard and Certification Program

By Stuart Saulters posted 25 days ago
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On October 30, APGA submitted comments to the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS), which is developing a new Green-e standard and certification program for renewable natural gas (RNG). This work is precedential, so it is valuable for APGA to engage. APGA is appreciative that CRS is developing this standard, which provides requirements for the certification of renewable gas production, sales, and consumption. With this, more stakeholders in the end use energy market will consider RNG. However, there are concerns with the direction this initiative is going. APGA participated in the first, open comment period. Unfortunately, after reviewing the redline summary ...
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APGA Submits Comments to EPA on RNG Use

By Stuart Saulters posted 25 days ago
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On October 30, APGA submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) responding to their proposal to voluntarily report supply of renewable natural gas (RNG) through natural gas transmission and distribution systems. This would occur through the Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program, in which the EPA encourages partners, which include natural gas distribution companies, to make ambitious commitments to reduce methane emissions through implementation of cost-effective technologies and practices. The EPA recognizes ongoing advances in approaches for identifying, measuring, and mitigating methane emissions and is always looking for ways to acknowledge ...
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EIA Reports Storage Decrease of 36 Bcf to Put Working Gas Storage at 3,919 Bcf

By Audrey Casey posted 25 days ago
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Here is the weekly EIA Summary Report issued on Thursday, November 5, which reports the week’s storage report highlights for Friday, October 30. A 36 Bcf decrease has been reported. Working gas in storage was 3,919 Bcf as of Friday, October 30, 2020, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net decrease of 36 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 200 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 201 Bcf above the five-year average of 3,718 Bcf. At 3,919 Bcf, total working gas is within the five-year historical range.
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APGA Meets with FERC Commissioners

By Renée Lani posted 10-29-2020
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On October 28, APGA Board of Directors leadership, chairs of the Regulatory Subcommittee, and staff had the opportunity to virtually meet with two commissioners from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC): Richard Glick and James Danly. Issues raised in the meetings included Section 5 of the Natural Gas Act, pipeline compliance with document filing format, return on equity, and access to new capacity. APGA leadership meets with FERC Commissioners to communicate information and positions on federal regulatory matters of concern to public natural gas systems. The meetings provide APGA members an opportunity to educate the commissioners and their staff ...
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EIA Reports Storage Increase of 29 Bcf to Put Working Gas Storage at 3,955 Bcf

By Audrey Casey posted 10-29-2020
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Here is the weekly EIA Summary Report issued on Thursday, October 29, which reports the week’s storage report highlights for Friday, October 23. A 29 Bcf increase has been reported. Working gas in storage was 3,955 Bcf as of Friday, October 23, 2020, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net increase of 29 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 285 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 289 Bcf above the five-year average of 3,666 Bcf. At 3,955 Bcf, total working gas is above the five-year historical range.
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