Alumni Action Alert: Methane gas leaks & why we need to end new gas infrastructure
Many alumni asked us over the years for more opportunities to get engaged in important issues. Now we send an Alumni Action Alert each month on a particular issue or campaign The Public Interest Network is working on, along with some actions that you can take to help protect the environment, public health or the public interest.
Quick action: Sign Environment America’s petition calling on state legislators to say no to damaging methane gas.
Background: Methane gas (often known as natural gas) has heated the homes of many Americans for over a century — and for over a century, it has been prone to leaks, putting communities and the environment in danger. With growing awareness of the impact of methane leaks on the climate, and with growing availability of safer alternatives, it is clear that gas has no place in a modern clean energy network
A major gas leak occurs approximately every 40 hours in the United States, according to new research: U.S. PIRG, Environment America and Frontier Group recently released "Methane Gas Leaks," a report which found that 2,600 gas pipeline leaks were reported to the federal government between 2010 and 2021. These incidents killed 122 people and injured more than 600. They also leaked 26.6 billion cubic feet of gas into the atmosphere, a global warming impact equal to 2.4 million cars driven for a year.
The frequency of major gas leak incidents has not declined significantly since 2010, despite the time and money that gas utilities have spent to address leaks in the wake of several deadly explosions. In states such as Illinois and Maryland, utility programs have prioritized complete system replacements over focused replacement of leak-prone infrastructure, resulting in the expenditure of billions of dollars for limited public safety benefit.
While efforts to reduce leaks from gas distribution systems have made some progress, reliance on methane gas is inconsistent with the need to decarbonize the nation’s energy system by mid-century. As a result, investments in gas systems beyond those needed to protect public health and safety could become “stranded,” diverting attention and resources that should be used to transition the nation’s energy system to truly clean forms of energy.
The consistent risks posed by gas leaks – coupled with the urgent need to address climate change – mean that policymakers should not only incentivize electrification of homes, businesses and equipment, but also ensure that new buildings and neighborhoods are built to run on electricity, not gas.
Actions you can take:
Sign Environment America’s petition calling on state legislators to say no to more damaging methane gas.
Share U.S. PIRG, Environment America and Frontier Group’s “Methane Gas Leaks” report with your networks. Feel free to add a personal message as to why you want to see an end to new gas infrastructure.
Any other way you would like to support this effort? Just let us know!
