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Today, the Carolinas Natural Gas Coalition (CNGC) hosted a packed breakfast for policymakers in the North Carolina (NC) State Legislature. APGA staff and APGA members, Durk Tyson and Carl Smith of Greenville Utilities, attended the event in Raleigh. CNGC hosted the event to connect NC legislators with natural gas industry members. The APGA staff and members who attended were able to educate these elected officials on the need for increased access to natural gas. Public gas utilities have a crucial voice in the energy conversation, particularly at the state level. Building and maintaining relationships with decision-makers in state and local governments is pivotal in protecting the work that community-owned utilities undertake.

CNGC is a coalition of more than 80 allies who recognize the important role that natural gas and its infrastructure must play in the evolving energy mix. Eight APGA members located in both states have committed to supporting the work that CNGC is doing across the Carolinas. Read more about them here. 

Durk Tyson, who also serves on the Board of the CNGC, spoke at the breakfast and offered the public gas perspective on issues impacting the industry. Durk shared about the importance of streamlining intrastate permitting processes. Improvements to these processes would help public gas systems continue to affordably and efficiently meet the energy needs of North Carolinians. Durk also thanked the legislators in attendance for recently passing legislation that would prevent local governments in the state from enacting bans on new natural gas hookups and infrastructure. 
 
APGA is grateful for the opportunity to participate in and support efforts like these when possible. Public gas systems are on the front lines of many of the issues impacting the natural gas industry and APGA staff will continue to advocate for their priorities in Congress. 

For questions on this article or to have APGA attend a similar event in your area, please contact Josh St.Pierre of APGA staff by phone at 202-407-0015 or by email at jstpierre@apga.org.