At the NARUC Annual Meeting in Seattle, regulators adopted Resolution GS-2 urging Congress to streamline federal permitting for interstate natural gas pipelines. Vice Chairman Nick Myers emphasized the urgency of these reforms, stating, "With electricity demand set to surge, we can't meet consumers' needs without expanding natural gas pipelines and fixing a permitting process that delays essential projects," according to the Arizona Corporation Commission.
The resolution cites forecasts of a 20 percent increase in electricity demand by 2030, with natural gas expected to support 60 percent of that growth. It warns that this demand cannot be met without expanding pipeline capacity and addressing permitting delays, as reported by the Arizona Corporation Commission.
The resolution calls for expanding interstate natural gas pipelines and urges legislative reforms to speed up the permitting process. It states that "Streamlined, predictable permitting is essential to strengthening our economy, ensuring a more resilient grid, leveraging secure domestic energy, lowering consumer costs, and creating quality American jobs." NARUC notes that while renewable energy is growing, natural gas remains important for meeting near-term energy needs. More information about the resolution can be obtained by contacting Vice Chairman Myers at the email provided in the original announcement, as stated by the Arizona Corporation Commission.
