More homes and businesses use natural gas today than ever before and the numbers continue to increase. Natural gas demand is growing rapidly in other sectors as well. Volumes for gas-fired power generation have surged in recent years and the large-volume industrial sector has also increased consumption – all supported by an enormous natural gas resource endowment, production efficiencies and growing infrastructure. 37 states have adopted or considered innovative proposals to expand their pipeline network to get gas to communities and we expect more states to explore this opportunity as the price of natural gas stays affordable and stable for decades into the future.
Last week, congress passed and President Obama signed H.R. 22, the “Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act”, (FAST Act) which includes a provision (S. 280) sponsored by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) that would create an interagency council to serve as a one-stop shop for major infrastructure projects that require federal permits, setting deadlines and establishing best practices for permitting reviews. This is great news for the natural gas industry and our customers.
Anything that speeds up and simplifies the process for pipeline permitting is a positive step. The multi-million dollar pipeline projects that transport gas from our shale-rich regions to areas that need it take years to plan, site, permit and build. This legislation is a recognition of the many benefits of natural gas and an effort to extend those benefits to many more Americans.
