American Gas - October 2012 - (Page 2)

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Charting a Path Forward When the election ends, the work begins. A DAVE McCURDY President and CEO dmccurdy@aga.org midst all the attention surrounding the upcoming elections, it is easy to lose sight of the goal: to govern and create an atmosphere where our citizens and our nation can prosper. There is a great deal of work to be done to repair our country and chart a clear path forward. For whomever we elect to lead our nation, there will be a host of issues left unaddressed. Many of these issues are intertwined with energy as a common thread. We can boost our economy, improve our environment, and enhance our national security with a comprehensive energy plan that uses natural gas as a foundation fuel. Our domestic abundance of this clean energy source can heat our homes, run our vehicles, generate power, support other forms of renewable energy, and much more. America’s natural gas utilities are taking the necessary steps to meet this demand and continue to safely deliver our product at affordable prices. This means upgrading our delivery system, investing in refueling infrastructure for natural gas vehicles, and pioneering new, efficient technologies for direct use. There are also regulatory hurdles that must be overcome, and AGA is supporting our members in this arena. We need to examine how our abundant natural gas resources can be used by all sectors, including the growing electric generation sector, to invest in infrastructure, create jobs, and improve our economy. Maintaining the reliability of both the natural gas and electric systems is a national priority. As these systems become increasingly interdependent, policy direction and industry leadership are needed to ensure reliability for all natural gas and electric customers. AGA’s policy committee has been focused and engaged on this for months and has developed a strategy that includes encouraging and working with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to examine the coordination of the natural gas and electricity markets. This requires an open dialogue about the needs of both systems. AGA and its members recognize and appreciate the important leadership role played in this area by FERC, which recently held several technical conferences in different regions of the country on gas-electric coordination. AGA members and staff have attended these meetings and are actively engaged in this conversation. This issue of American Gas highlights a Con Edison of New York case study that documents the utility’s experience with gas-electric coordination. We can learn from Con Ed’s experience as we seek to inform this conversation and advocate for our customers. Throughout the country, AGA members are working with lawmakers at every level to create a market and a regulatory framework that enables their customers to realize the benefits of our domestic abundance of natural gas. Through forward thinking and innovations at every level of the distribution chain, America’s natural gas utilities are preparing for an energy future built on this clean energy source. For the more than 177 million Americans whom we serve, and the many others who stand to benefit from our domestic abundance of this resource, we will continue to advance these goals. 2 AMERICAN GAS OCTOBER 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Gas - October 2012

American Gas - October 2012
Contents
President’s Message
Industry News
In the Know
Safety First
Tech Talk
Keep the Lights On
Buyer’s Guide 2012
Places to Be
Jobline
Advertisers’ Index
Noteworthies
Marketplace
Facts on Gas

American Gas - October 2012