The Guardian published a report about how the “natural” gas industry is fighting local efforts to reduce “natural” gas use across the country. “Natural” gas is a fossil fuel, and perhaps we should call it fossil gas, not “natural” gas. Many cities are trying to reduce fossil fuel use in order to fight climate change. The Guardian reviewed emails, meeting agendas, and public records and found that the gas industry is building crucial local coalitions and hiring powerful lobbyists to fight climate action on “natural” gas. Both the American Gas Association and the American Public Gas Association are fighting these efforts to address climate change.
The Guardian article discusses how in Seattle, the gas industry linked together unions, realtors, and building owners and carried out a coordinated campaign to fight a proposed city ordinance, including running ads about cheap, “clean,” reliable “natural” gas. The gas industry managed to keep the city ordinance to reduce “natural” gas use from passing. The American Public Gas Association is fighting similar efforts in Sacramento, and Southern California Gas Co. fought an effort in San Luis Obispo.
Burning “natural” gas produces less carbon dioxide (CO2) than burning coal or oil, but it still produces CO2, a greenhouse gas that persists for upwards of 80 to 100 years. “Natural” gas is methane, a greenhouse gas that is about 80 times more potent than CO2 in its effects on climate change. Producing “natural” gas involves lots of leaks, and the amount leaked during production has been hugely underestimated. The Guardian reports that scientists estimate that 42% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. are from “natural” gas. Methane also contributes to ground-level ozone formation, which is as hazardous to health as smoking a pack a day of cigarettes.
In addition to fighting city ordinances that are trying to do something about climate change, the Guardian documents how the gas industry has helped get laws passed in 4 states to prevent cities from taking action on “natural” gas. The 4 states are Arizona, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. The industry also tried to similar laws passed in Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, Mississippi, and Georgia, and a similar ballot initiative in Colorado.
This year, the Guardian article reports that the American Public Gas Association is spending over $600,000 on fighting local initiatives, pro-gas social media campaigns, and media monitoring. The American Gas Association is also doing a campaign on Instagram.
Shame on the AGA and the APGA. Shame on the gas utilities fighting city efforts. They are all promoting climate change, which is currently causing death, disease, and injury – wildfires and hazardous smoke in the west, hurricanes in the east. Shame on them all.
