On August 24, APGA hosted a webinar with staff from the Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) who provided an update on the state legislative landscape. CEA works on behalf of energy consumers, and they support policies that prioritize affordable and reliable access to energy. As a result, they are strong advocates for the direct use of natural gas.
Most state legislatures operate on abbreviated schedules and have already concluded their 2021 sessions. CEA provided an update on energy policy developments impacting natural gas, including the states that have adopted energy choice laws to ensure localities cannot enact bans on the direct use of natural gas.
CEA staff pointed out that much of what states may do in their 2022 sessions will depend on what happens at the federal level with the reconciliation and infrastructure packages, as that will have a huge impact on available funding for states to act on energy and environmental issues.
CEA also provided some updates on pipeline permitting issues at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that they have been monitoring, as well as legal challenges pertaining to oil and gas leases. CEA actively engages on these issues because of their impact on energy supply, which ultimately also affects reliability and affordability for consumers.
If an APGA member was unable to view the live webinar, they may view a recording
here.
For questions about this article, please contact Emily Wong of APGA staff by phone at 202-470-4262 or by email at
ewong@apga.org.