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The Energy Subcommittee, within the House Energy and Commerce Committee, held a hearing on February 18 titled A Smarter Investment: Pathways to A Clean Energy Future. This week, APGA submitted comments in response to that hearing. Most of the discussion in February concerned power generation and electricity, specifically in the context of a soon-to-be-finalized report from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) titled, Accelerating Decarbonization of the U.S. Energy System. Given this, APGA wanted to bring to the attention of the Energy Subcommittee that an essential element of any pathway to a clean energy future is utilization of the extensive network of existing natural gas infrastructure, which affords American consumers the opportunity to directly use natural gas in their homes and businesses now and preserves this critical asset for lower and zero carbon fuels in the future. As well, any clean energy solution should prevent future blackouts, like the ones that occurred in California in 2020 and in Texas this past February. People in those states will attest that having access to more than one energy source for your home or business is critical to maintaining a reliable and affordable energy system. In APGA’s submission to the Energy Subcommittee, the following were highlighted: natural gas infrastructure is critical in achieving America’s decarbonization goals; and natural gas infrastructure is key to ensuring all Americans have access to affordable, clean energy.

APGA hopes that the subcommittee and full committee will consider this input, as it develops clean energy legislation, recognizing complete electrification of our nation’s energy system is a bad policy. To see APGA’s submitted testimony, click here.

For questions on this article, please contact Stuart Saulters of APGA staff by phone at 202-544-1334 or by email at ssaulters@apga.org.