American Gas: In 2018, the American Gas Association is celebrating its centennial year, its headquarters have undergone a complete renovation, the United States is hosting the 27th World Gas Conference and you have announced your retirement from AGA. As you have remarked, you are heading out on a high note. Talk about this banner year for the association and for the U.S. natural gas industry as it steps onto a global stage.
Dave McCurdy: This year—and the events that you mentioned—are an incredible testament to the long-range vision of leaders in the natural gas industry. Natural gas has helped us achieve our national goals of boosting our economy, improving our environment and increasing our energy security, but the seeds of that revolution were planted more than a decade ago as producers pioneered new technology that unlocked essential energy from shale formations where gas was thought to be inaccessible. Those efforts built upon the vision of previous generations to create a network of more than 2 million pipelines that carry that abundance to homes, businesses, power plants and industrial facilities.
When we set out to win the presidency of the International Gas Union, we were in a unique place as a nation—emerging as the global leader in natural gas, gifted with technology, access and supply that set us apart. That started a process that has reached an apex as we host the World Gas Conference in Washington, D.C.
Our centennial year, 2018, is an inflection point for many reasons, but I think it has made a clear case for the resilience of our industry. The natural gas delivery system nationwide has shown remarkable strength through adverse circumstances. Our 2018 chair, Kimberly Harris, gave credit to her predecessor, Pierce Norton, for navigating us through a turbulent political climate, but Kimberly has picked up right where Pierce left off, fostering a dialogue about how we can best serve the customers of the future. I expect that dialogue to continue and for natural gas utilities to maintain their place in America’s communities.
Rather than a culmination, this is a new plateau. I have no doubt I will be leaving this organization better than I found it. I am grateful for the opportunity to take part in some of these celebrations before I leave, to pay homage to the hard work and vision of so many leaders who came before me and to pass that baton on to the leaders of tomorrow.
American Gas: During the past seven years at AGA’s helm, you’ve played an active role in advancing the U.S. energy revolution. As you alluded to, it has been a time when natural gas has begun to rapidly outpace other forms of energy, thousands of miles of new pipeline have been installed and the United States has become a major player in global liquefied natural gas. And those are just the tip of the iceberg. As you review the work that has already been accomplished, where do you see the natural gas industry advancing in the future?
DM: Natural gas reliably delivers an extraordinary amount of energy, especially on peak winter days when customers need it most. On Jan. 1, 2018, the natural gas system in the United States delivered a record-setting 79 billion cubic feet to residential and commercial customers alone. The energy in that amount of natural gas is roughly equivalent to 24 terawatt-hours, or about the same amount of energy that the entire U.S. electric generating capacity is capable of producing in 24 hours.
Americans want natural gas because it is clean, comfortable and affordable. Policymakers at the state level are looking at opportunities to expand pipeline networks to bring the benefits of natural gas to unserved and underserved communities. And natural gas utilities are working to answer those calls for access and expansion, adding an average of one new customer every minute nationwide. I expect that to continue.
AGA members are making significant investments in our energy future—participating in research and development of new technologies that use natural gas and hiring a next-generation workforce to harness the diversity of talent that these incredible young people offer. We envision a future where natural gas not only provides energy for homes and businesses, but runs a significant number of our vehicles, generates power and supports other forms of renewable energy.
I see a very promising future for our nation, with natural gas as the foundation fuel for that vision.
American Gas: In a way, you’ve held three careers: lawyer, legislator and now president and CEO of AGA, after serving in the same role at the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Electronic Industries Alliance. As an association leader, you have been recognized as a champion for policies that help Americans live better lives. How have your past experiences helped you navigate often-tricky political waters in Washington, D.C.?
DM: I came to Washington as a reformer, motivated to take on a sclerotic political system. We had major disagreements and battles on the role of government and direction of the country. But comity and respect were the norm, a far cry from the toxic political climate we see today. I admit that it was a different time because we were unified against a common threat from the Soviet Union, and politics stopped at the water’s edge. We had major policy challenges and philosophical differences, but after we hashed out our disagreements, we would spend time together, often with our families alongside us. We developed working and personal relationships, creating an environment where the constructive could win out over the caustic. To this day, I maintain friendships with folks from both sides of the aisle and from all over the country.
I have always tried to model myself after the nonpartisan problem solvers and consensus builders on Capitol Hill whom I worked with. I have tried always—and encouraged others—to participate in a fact-based debate, to be respectful and honest. I am straightforward, guided by strongly held principles, and I have fought like hell for my constituents and my members. But there is a way to disagree without being disagreeable, and I have endeavored to strike that balance throughout my career.
American Gas: Safety and security have been a common theme throughout your time at AGA, and in your remaining months as president, you have said you plan to focus on issues related to pipeline safety and to work with the government to update the industry’s guidelines on cybersecurity. What will be your legacy when it comes to these two top-of-mind issues and others that impact natural gas utilities?
DM: As I said in my retirement announcement, the incredible leadership in this industry was one of the top reasons I took my position at AGA. This has been on full display in the area of safety and security. I could fill the rest of this magazine talking about this topic, and, in fact, these pages are often filled with these stories. I will touch on a few quick areas here.
The AGA Commitment to Enhancing Safety, which was launched in 2012 and has been updated several times since, is a testament to the industry’s ability to be forward-leaning on important topics. Safety is our top priority. Our industry is committed to proactively collaborating with federal and state regulators, public officials, emergency responders, excavators, consumers, safety advocates and the public to continue improving the industry’s longstanding record of providing natural gas service safely, reliably and efficiently to 177 million Americans. The commitment outlines actions that are being addressed by AGA or individual operators that go above and beyond current regulation to help ensure the safe and reliable operation of the nation’s 2.5 million miles of natural gas pipelines.
The AGA Peer Review Program is a voluntary safety and operational practices program that allows participating companies to be reviewed by their peers, share leading practices and identify opportunities to better serve customers and communities. By the end of 2018, AGA members that serve 81 percent of the natural gas customers in the United States will have participated in a peer review. By every measure—from participation to furthering our safety goals—this program has been an unmitigated success.
Finally, I came to AGA with a deep background in cybersecurity, starting with my days on the House Intelligence Committee and continuing through my role as a co-founder of the Internet Security Alliance, a nonprofit collaboration between the Electronic Industries Alliance, where I was president and CEO for eight years, and the Carnegie Mellon University CyLab. Without a doubt, the level of cybersecurity awareness and engagement at natural gas utilities from the C-suite on down has increased immensely in my time at AGA. As the industry has stepped up, I have tried to use my experience in government to find the right balance between private-sector vigilance and government engagement. I am pleased we led the effort to update the Transportation Security Administration Pipeline Security Guidelines and continue to implement effective cybersecurity strategies, methodologies, standards and best practices to meet the constantly evolving security threat. We also support additional staff resources for our government partners to allow them to maintain the necessary level of protection and vigilance. It is an ongoing process.
American Gas: As a former congressman, what advice can you give the men and women currently sitting in those seats in the Capitol building regarding the state of government today and the federal government’s role in the U.S. energy renaissance?
DM: I would encourage them to put practical solutions ahead of partisan ideology. America has so many advantages on the energy front that can be marshaled to meet our economic, geopolitical and environmental goals. The energy renaissance we find ourselves in is largely the result of market dynamics and forward thinking on behalf of leaders in the private sector and policymakers. We should not be trying to put our thumb on the scale. Smart policies can continue this period of economic growth and keep us on a path toward a more sustainable and secure energy future.
American Gas: As you enter retirement, it sounds as though a fourth career might be on the way. You’ve said you plan to serve on corporate boards, work with think tanks and write. Where will retirement take you?
DM: Certainly, several of my current commitments will continue, and I do look forward to the opportunity to do some strategic thinking about the topics that have inspired me throughout my career. I know it is a cliché, but I do also want to spend quality time with my incredible family. But for now, AGA has 100 percent of my attention: I am focused on our day-to-day work of helping our members achieve success, presenting a productive World Gas Conference and setting the next AGA president and CEO up for success.