On July 21, Dave McCurdy, President and CEO of the American Gas Association (AGA) spoke among a panel of experts at the Progressive Policy Institute’s conversation about “The Natural Gas Revolution: Promise and Pitfalls.” The discussion sought to address the benefits and challenges for the natural gas industry, and how to efficiently and economically move the debate forward.

McCurdy was joined by Heather Zichal, Deputy Assistant to President Obama for Energy and Climate Change, Representative Jason Altmire (D-PA), Roger Cooper, Principal of Cleveland Park Consulting, Vello Kuuskraa, President of Advances Resources, Amy Mall, Senior Policy Analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council, Peter Molinaro, Vice President of Federal and State Affairs at the Dow Chemical Company, and Peter Robertson, Senior Vice President of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs and America’s Natural Gas Alliance.

Dave McCurdy, President and CEO of the American Gas Association (AGA) 

Many in the natural gas and energy industry agree that the future of the industry relies on honest, fact-based conversations about the industry and this was exactly that. Zichal began by placing natural gas in a broader energy context, noting the economic pains of the rising price of oil and some of the challenges for oil and coal for a clean energy future. She stressed that to the Obama administration, natural gas is a “big part” of the solution to our energy challenges.

Rep. Altmire spoke of the successes the industry has seen in his home state of Pennsylvania through Marcellus shale drilling, citing 140,000 jobs created as a direct result of the natural gas industry. He brought up a recent study from Pennsylvania State University, stating that by 2020 the Marcellus shale play will provide 25% of America’s natural gas needs.

Dave McCurdy emphasized the opportunity for natural gas to help reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources, and to create jobs, new technologies and innovations at home.  Natural gas, he said, is a “game changer” in the energy industry because of its abundance and America’s ability to rise to the challenge and innovate already existing technologies.

This fact-based discussion was just what the industry needs more of in order to help ensure continued safe and reliable access to this foundation fuel—natural gas.

Watch the video below.