American Gas - February 2013 - (Page 26)

Incoming NARUC President Philip Jones discusses how utilities and regulators can work together on safety, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and more profile Responding to Challenging Times Incoming National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners President Philip Jones’s unique background includes stints as a senior legislative assistant to a senator on energy issues and as a managing director of a premium brand clothier, Cutter & Buck. He was appointed to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission in 2005 and worked extensively on federal energy issues before being elected NARUC president for 2013. Jones recently sat down with Kyle Rogers, AGA vice president of Government Relations, to discuss his mandate, his goals, and his background. Here are some excerpts from the conversation. AGA: What are the primary challenges facing the energy industry at large and natural gas utilities in particular? Philip Jones: The industry is in the midst of difficult times. We have an aging utility infrastructure, newly enacted and proposed environmental rules from the Environmental Protection Agency, a dynamic cyberthreat, and an unusually sluggish economic recovery. This means we will be asking a lot of our consumers in the near future, consumers who are already shouldering a heavy burden. Still, I am optimistic that we as regulators and you as industry will address these challenges squarely and move forward. This is because we share the same goal—providing safe and reliable gas service at fair and reasonable prices. For the natural gas industry, pipeline safety is our most pressing challenge. For me, this issue is personal. The tragic inci- dent in Bellingham in my state of Washington was a turning point in our pipeline safety oversight efforts. We learned a great deal from this incident, and the legislature gave us additional authority and budget to ensure that our oversight of pipeline operators, both liquid and natural gas, in our state was significantly enhanced. At NARUC, we established a couple years ago a Pipeline Safety Task Force, chaired by Commissioner Paul Roberti of Rhode Island, spearheading our advocacy and education on safety issues. I just appointed new leadership on the Gas Committee by asking Barry Smitherman of the Texas Railroad Commission to be the new chair, to succeed Timothy Alan Simon of California. He will be assisted by two able co-vice chairs, Todd Snitchler of the Ohio commission and Paul Roberti. All three of them understand well the issues of pipeline safety and understand that it is important for NARUC and the Gas Committee to keep the dialogue fresh and relevant. We have also solidified our relationship with the National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives, as these engineers are literally the boots on the ground who ensure that pipeline companies are operating as safely as possible. One of the themes of my presidency is to encourage commissioners and the standing committees to reach beyond the traditional regulatory silos and engage constructively with other sectors. The world we live in today is dynamic both from a technology and safety standpoint, and I feel we need to engage with a variety of other viewpoints and stakeholders to orient our decisionmaking in a sustainable and constructive way. For example, it is important for the Gas Committee to be engaged with our Energy Resources and the Environment Committee on environmental issues, with the Electricity Committee on electric-gas interdependencies, with the Critical Infrastructure Committee on cybersecurity, and with the Water Committee on wise water use and recycling for hydraulic fracturing. I think our leadership understands this interaction of issues and is pursuing joint initiatives that address these concerns. AGA: Given the challenges you note, how do you see commissioners and utilities working collaboratively to address these issues? Do you believe there are specific opportunities upon which to capitalize? What role would you like to see AGA play in that construct? Jones: I absolutely believe there are opportunities for regulators and industry to work together and bolster our pipeline safety efforts. If we could get our 811 callfirst number as well known as 911, we’d be well on our way. Statistics prove that the majority of pipeline incidents are caused by third-party excavators and contractors. If we can turn 811 into a household brand, we’d improve the safety of our system dramatically. Also, I would encourage AGA members to communicate with regulators about the status of their pipeline systems. Your members own and operate the pipelines and bear the burden of demonstrating they operate a Photogra p hy by todd eckelman 26 American Gas february 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Gas - February 2013

American Gas - February 2013
Table of Contents
President’s Message
Subject Index
Supplanting Coal, Creating Jobs
Digest
Issues
Updates
Need to Know
By the Numbers
People and Places
Fill ‘er Up—in the Driveway
Europe
State House
City Hall
Wall Street
Elm Street
On the Docket
Profile: Philip B. Jones
Law
Jobs
Buyer’s Guide: Meters
Marketplace
Headway

American Gas - February 2013