Daniel Willis, daniel.willis@sierraclub.org, (317) 493-9154
WASHINGTON, DC - Today the Sierra Club and DC community and national leaders sent a letter to the Public Service Commission urging them to hold Washington Gas to its merger commitment to “evolve its business model to support and serve the District’s 2050 climate goals.” In 2017, Mayor Bowser pledged to make Washington, DC carbon-neutral and climate-resilient by 2050. Earlier this month, Washington Gas asked the commission to extend its deadline to submit its merger plan from January 1, 2020 to March 16.
The Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act of 2018, passed unanimously by the DC Council a year ago and signed into law by Mayor Muriel Bowser in January, requires the Public Service Commission to uphold DC’s climate commitment of carbon neutrality by 2050.
The Sierra Club and our environmental and community allies call on the Public Service Commission to require that Washington Gas comply with merger commitments and include the following in its plan:
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Detailed plans to phase out the utility’s dirty gas distribution business and pursue new opportunities in the clean energy sector;
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Ensure DC homes and buildings would be powered by clean electricity using highly efficient and clean technologies, such as heat pumps, that reduce energy bills, eliminate the dangers of gas explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning, and improve indoor air quality; and;
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A focused effort to electrify affordable housing to ensure residents receive cost savings from highly efficient appliances and are not left paying a larger share for maintaining D.C.’s dirty gas infrastructure.
“DC’s climate commitments are appropriately bold. The District is exceptionally vulnerable to climate change because we sit along two tidal rivers, with many areas of the city barely above sea level,” said Sierra Club DC Chapter chair Mark Rodeffer. “The Public Service Commission is required by law to uphold DC’s climate commitments, so the commission must reject any plan from Washington Gas that does not begin the transition off dirty gas.”
In filings with the Public Service Commission seeking a delay, Washington Gas indicated it is looking into so-called renewable gas, sometimes called “biogas.” An analysis commissioned by the DC Department of Energy and Environment found that “renewable gas” is not a realistic approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“So-called renewable gas is the biggest farce since ‘clean coal,’” Rodeffer said. “It’s an excuse to keep our dirty and leaky gas pipeline system in place. The Public Service Commission should reject any attempt to greenwash fracked gas and reject any proposal from Washington Gas that relies on any form of gas. We must move to electricity from clean sources like wind and solar.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.