Author Archives: Christina Nyquist

Christina Nyquist

About Christina Nyquist

Christina Nyquist is the Communications Specialist for the American Gas Association. Prior to joining AGA, Christina served as a Writer/Editor and Public Affairs Specialist at the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Christina is currently pursuing a master’s degree at George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs.

Christina Nyquist What is Your Natural Gas Utility doing to Help Prevent Pipeline Damage?

Posted on April 23, 2013 by | Leave a comment


April has flown by and believe it or not, we’re almost to the end of National Safe Digging Month (NSDM). All month, your local utility has been busy getting the word out in your community about the simple steps everyone should take to help prevent pipeline damage and accidents. Homeowners, construction workers and landscapers must remember to Call 811, the free telephone call to locate utility lines, before beginning any type of digging project large or small. Excavation damage is the leading cause of all pipeline accidents, so dialing these three numbers really can make a difference in helping to save lives and prevent property damage.

Natural gas utilities work to get this message out through bill inserts, social media, local newspapers, and TV and radio stations, especially during NSDM. Some have found even more creative ways to spread the word to the public. Alliant Energy lit up the Iowa night sky with their safety message, illuminating the building windows with 811. At 21 floors high, Alliant Energy’s building is the tallest in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, making it a prime location for this important message.

811 300x165 What is Your Natural Gas Utility doing to Help Prevent Pipeline Damage?

Piedmont Natural Gas in North Carolina teamed up with local Girl Scouts, as well as a neighborhood hardware and garden store for a day of “tree tagging” to remind gardeners to call 811 before they begin spring projects. The Girl Scouts worked with the manager of The Gardens of Blackhawk Hardware to tag trees and shrubs with 811 notices.

Girl Scouts 300x300 What is Your Natural Gas Utility doing to Help Prevent Pipeline Damage? And Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in California is spearheading efforts to set up 811 Task Forces with local emergency responders and other key partners to develop coordinated and proactive efforts to address excavation damage and raise awareness. This month, PG&E has also conducted emergency responder trainings for local fire, police and emergency service departments.

There are many ways for you to get involved with NSDM too. There’s still time to try your luck with the Call 811 Campaign’s “Can You Dig It?” online game. Great prizes for the lucky winners include an iPad Mini, Kindle Fire HD, Apple TV, gift cards and more. So check out the game, and remember to tell friends and family to make the 811 Promise.

And if you are doing something to raise awareness about safe digging, let us know in the comments below.

Posted in 811, people, safety | Leave a comment

Christina Nyquist Don’t be a Fool – Call 811 before You Dig

Posted on April 1, 2013 by | Leave a comment


April is National Safe Digging Month

What if I told you I had the secret to preventing most pipeline damage and accidents – the secret to saving lives and property? What if I told you that secret was as easy as dialing three numbers?

No, this is not an April Fool’s trick. It’s Call before You Dig, the very serious message being promoted this month by utilities and safety advocates across the country, coordinated by the Common Ground Alliance. The process is simple – before you start ANY digging project, dial 811 to make sure you know where your underground utility lines are. Both the call and the service are free.

811Eng hor CMYK 300x108 Don’t be a Fool – Call 811 before You Dig

Excavation damage is the leading cause of pipeline incidents in the United States. A pipeline is damaged once every eight minutes due to digging and construction activity, most of which could have been prevented if diggers followed proper protocol. Damage can result in power outages, expensive repairs and even loss of life. Safety is the American Gas Association’s (AGA) top priority, and we encourage you to help keep your friends and neighbors safe by spreading the word about safe digging.

Before you start any outdoor digging projects – even if it’s as simple as planting a tree or shrub, AGA and our members urge you to dial 811 to help ensure you avoid underground utility lines. By doing so, you’ll be connected to your local One Call Center, which will alert your local utility company. Crews will then locate any utility lines near your project and make sure they are properly marked so you can be sure to avoid them – all at no cost to you. It’s that simple. You can find out more about the process here.

Join AGA and our members across the country in observing National Safe Digging Month throughout the month of April. Here are three easy ways you can participate:

  1. Make the 811 Promise and ask your friends and family to do the same.
  2. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to see what your local gas utilities are doing to increase awareness in their communities, and spread the word to your followers.
  3. Show your support by changing your social media profile pictures or banners to the Call 811 logo.

Pledge to make the 811 Promise. Call 811 before you dig, and ask your friends and family to do the same. Not doing so would just be…foolish.

Posted in 811, Natural Gas, people, safety | Leave a comment

Christina Nyquist Heating Your Home with Natural Gas Can Help Save You Money

Posted on March 29, 2013 by | 1 Comment


AGA just released its estimate for how much a customer could potentially save when they choose natural gas appliances over other major fuel types for residential space and water heating needs.

Based on estimated representative average fuel unit costs published by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, AGA estimated the annual costs for natural gas furnaces and water heaters when compared to their propane, oil and electric counterparts.

Bottom line? When you choose a natural gas furnace, water heater or combination of the two, you can save anywhere from $300 to $1,200 per year.

These tables break it down for you by each appliance option. The analysis is based on a 2,072 square-foot house located in St. Louis, MO, and represents a 5,000 Heating Degree Location. For more detailed information on how these numbers were compiled, view AGA’s recent press release.

2013 Space Heating Annual Cost Summary
(Estimated Annual Operating Cost)

Heating Equipment   Type 5000 Heating Degree   Days
97% AFUE Gas Furnace $524
80% AFUE Gas Furnace $689
7.7 HSPF Electric Heat Pump $1,005
97% AFUE Propane Furnace $1,246
87% AFUE Oil Furnace $1,518
80% AFUE Propane Furnace $1,588
80% AFUE Oil Furnace $1,632
Electric Resistance Furnace $1,725

2013 Water Heating Annual Cost Summary
(Estimated Annual Operating Cost from Low to High)

Water Heater Type Annual Cost
50 Gallon Natural Gas (FHR = 74   gallons) $265
50 Gallon Electric (FHR = 67   gallons) $562n

2013 Space Heating with Water Heater Installations
(Estimated Annual Operating Cost from Low to High)

Space   Heating/ Water Heating Type Annual   Cost
Natural   Gas: 97% AFUE Furnace & Water Heater $789
Natural   Gas: 80% AFUE & Water Heater $954
Electric:   Heat Pump & Water Heater $1,567

Every day, America’s local natural gas utilities safely and reliably deliver savings like this to their more than 71 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across the country. By providing access to the nation’s most affordable, efficient and clean domestically-produced energy source, AGA’s member companies are helping to realize a secure economic and energy future for our country.

Posted in energy | 1 Comment

Christina Nyquist Driving the Nation to a Secure Energy Future: The White House Gives a Boost to Natural Gas Vehicles

Posted on March 19, 2013 by | 1 Comment


The nation is searching for cleaner, cheaper, domestic and more secure fuel sources for transportation – and natural gas is a big part of the solution. Now, the White House is showing strong support for policies that grow the use of natural gas vehicles (NGVs) across the country.

On Friday, March 15, President Barack Obama stood in front of a row of alternative fuel vehicles, including a white Honda Civic Natural Gas Vehicle, at the Argonne National Laboratory and unveiled his plan for the Energy Security Trust.

“We can support scientists and engineers that are devising new ways to fuel our cars and trucks with new sources of clean energy – like advanced biofuels and natural gas – so drivers can one day go coast to coast without using a drop of oil,” the President said in his speech.

The proposed trust will expand alternative transportation fuels and shift American vehicles away from their reliance on foreign oil. The plan will provide $2 billion over 10 years, using revenue from federal oil and gas development, for research that focuses on developing cost-effective transportation alternatives, including domestically produced natural gas.

Obama NGV March 2013 Driving the Nation to a Secure Energy Future: The White House Gives a Boost to Natural Gas Vehicles

President Obama speaks in front of a stage of alternative fuel vehicles, including a white Honda Civic Natural Gas Vehicle, at the Argonne National Laboratory on Friday, March 15, 2013. The 2012 Honda CNG Civic GX was named one of the Kelly Blue Book 10 Best Green Cars of 2012.

In a White House factsheet, President Obama commits to leveraging our domestic abundance of natural gas by working with the private sector to grow the use of natural gas in the nation’s trucking fleet. Among other items, the plan includes the following measures that support NGV growth:

  • Incentives for medium-and-heavy-duty trucks that run on natural gas or other alternative fuels.
  • Providing a credit for 50 percent of the incremental cost of a dedicated alternative-fuel truck for a five-year period.
  • Laboratories that use federal resources to develop different models for deploying advanced vehicles.

Kathryn Clay is the Executive Director of the Drive Natural Gas Initiative, a collaborative effort of natural gas utilities and producers to develop the use of clean, domestic, affordable natural gas as a transportation fuel.

“About two-thirds of U.S. oil consumption in the United States fuels the transportation sector, and over 70 percent of the oil we use is imported,” said Clay. “We have a nearly one hundred years supply of clean, abundant, domestic natural gas and it just makes sense to use that resource to fuel our cars, trucks and buses. The President’s remarks recognize the role that NGVs can play in boosting our national security, improving our environment and reducing fuel costs for our citizens.”

The American Gas Association  is thrilled to see the President voice his support for encouraging the growth of natural gas vehicles, which is already underway thanks to private sector investments to build fueling infrastructure across the country, encouraged by the low cost of natural gas.

Learn more about the Energy Security Trust in this White House Blog post, and view an infographic showing the role for NGVs in America’s secure energy future. You can also watch the full speech here.

 

Posted in CNG, environment, Natural Gas, people, vehicles | 1 Comment