AGA’s Harbert: Natural Gas Industry Has Proven Emissions Reduction Track Record
Washington, D.C. – American Gas Association (AGA) President and CEO Karen Harbert made the following statement in response to President Biden setting a 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target:
“America’s natural gas utilities will make a meaningful contribution to achieving the vision laid out by President Biden today to continue to drive down emissions in our nation and throughout the world. The natural gas industry has a proven track record of reducing emissions and we will continue to collaborate with local policymakers, federal regulators, Congress and this administration to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through smart innovation, new and modernized infrastructure, and advanced technologies that maintain reliable, resilient, and affordable energy service choices for consumers. Last year, AGA released our Climate Change Position Statement that includes ten commitments for reducing emissions and eight principles for an effective national policy approach to addressing climate change.”
Harbert published an Earth Day message today saying, “the American Gas Association’s commitment on behalf of America’s natural gas utilities to be part of the solution to the complex challenge of climate change has never been stronger.”
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks shows that annual emissions from the natural gas distribution system declined 69 percent from 1990 to 2019, as natural gas utility companies added more than 788,000 miles of pipeline to serve 21 million more customers.
- AGA applauded the U.S. Department of Energy for allocating up to $35 million for a new Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) program focused on developing technologies to reduce methane emissions.
- Karen Harbert welcomed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on their inauguration day saying, “We have a long history of working collaboratively to find innovative solutions that benefit our nation.”