Utilities join group rallying support for natural gas in California
Sempra is joining the efforts of Californians for Balanced Energy Solutions, a newly formed organization of natural and renewable gas users and suppliers working to rally support for gas as some state policymakers and environmental groups push to phase it out.
Formed to educate Californians about the important roles that natural and renewable gas play in improving the environment and providing for a strong economy, the group is calling on the state of California to adopt balanced energy policies that protect energy affordability, reliability and choice in order to most effectively combat climate change.
“To fight climate change, we need a balanced energy portfolio of electricity and natural gas and renewable sources: solar, wind, hydro and gas derived from landfills, waste treatment plants and agriculture. Calls to eliminate natural and renewable gas and force Californians to rely only on electric energy are well-meaning but misguided,” said C4BES Board of Directors Chair Dr. Matt Rahn, who is also director of the Environmental Leadership Institute at California State University San Marcos. “If successful, the ‘electric-only’ strategy will harm the environment. It will have serious economic consequences, because switching to electric power is not technically feasible or cost-effective for every use or circumstance.”
The organizers of C4BES invited Southern California Gas Company, the largest natural gas utility in California, to join the organization’s board, Christine Detz, SoCalGas spokesperson, told American Gas. George Minter, SoCalGas regional vice president of external affairs and environmental strategy, serves on the board on behalf of Sempra Energy.
“We look forward to adding our voice to those of social service organizations, churches, health care facilities, and business and labor organizations to bring balance to the energy policy debate and to emphasize how natural gas and renewable gas helps us get to our climate goals while also meeting consumers’ need for affordable and reliable energy,” Detz said.
The coalition’s membership includes commercial and industrial gas users, housing developers, community organizations, schools, and representatives from agriculture and labor—all of whom rely on gas energy and seek to continue to rely on gas while still making a difference in the state’s environment, the coalition says.
The organization intends to undertake an aggressive social media campaign, including online petitions and polls, and advertising in newspapers. C4BES also plans to hold a conference on balanced energy policies later this year.