Natural gas is a win-win for Virginia consumers
Published December 15, 2017
Editor, Times-Dispatch:
Whether we like it or not, energy is essential to our economy, our homes, and our quality of life. Natural gas has emerged as one of the most important energy supplies in America because it is safe, clean, and reliable.
According to a Washington State University field study in 2015, emissions from local natural gas distribution systems in cities and towns throughout the U.S. have decreased in the past 20 years to levels that are 36 to 70 percent lower than the 2011 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency inventory. The WSU study also concluded that as little as 0.1 percent of the natural gas delivered nationwide is emitted from local distribution systems.
When used in power generation, natural gas emits as much as 50 percent less CO2 than coal and up to 30 percent less CO2 than oil. In other words, natural gas is a win-win: It’s good for the environment and consumers.
As the nation’s foremost non-profit, nonpartisan organization devoted to the singular cause of promoting consumer interests through the advancement of free-market principles, Consumer Action for a Strong Economy urges the Virginia Water Control Board to approve the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley pipelines. These important infrastructure projects will generate tens of thousands of good jobs and save consumers hundreds of millions of dollars in energy cost savings.
Matthew Kandrach, CASE President
