Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Bradford), Majority Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, is seeking support for a legislative proposal that will study the potential for increased residential, commercial and industrial natural gas infrastructure extension in Pennsylvania.

In a co-sponsorship memo circulated to members of the Senate earlier,  Sen. Yaw discussed a resolution directing the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, a bi-partisan, bi-cameral legislative research agency of the General Assembly, to study the potential for increased extension of natural gas distribution infrastructure by Pennsylvania’s natural gas public utilities to un-served and under-served areas.

“This session, Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi and I will work to ensure that Pennsylvanians remain a primary beneficiary of low-cost, energy-efficient, Pennsylvania-produced natural gas,” Sen. Yaw said.  “Working collaboratively with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and Pennsylvania’s natural gas utilities, we hope to increase the accessibility and availability of this natural resource to more state residents.  The Center’s findings and recommendations (from the study) will aid us in this effort.”

Specifically, the Center would be directed to study the residential, commercial and industrial extension of natural gas distribution infrastructure by collecting and analyzing information on the estimated demand for natural gas service in un-served and under-served areas of the Commonwealth; estimated price consumers are willing to pay for access or conversion to natural gas service; regional differences in consumer demand and willingness to pay for natural gas service; and relevant economic information on the costs and benefits to expand natural gas distribution infrastructure.

The Center would be responsible to report its findings, plans, and recommendations to the General Assembly no later than August 1, 2013.

“As Chairman of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, we have convened several discussions on rural residential and commercial gas distribution.  It is clear, we have an abundant natural resource beneath us, which can be used to help consumers lower their energy heating costs, improve consumer satisfaction, provide for increased economic development opportunities, and create jobs in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Sen. Yaw added.

2/4/2013