CCAN Joins Call for Gas Utilities to Stop Forcing Ratepayers to Fund Utility Lobbyists

Campaign Spearheaded by Gas Leaks Project Seeks to Help Americans Fight Gas Industry’s Deception 

Washington, D.C.— This week, the Gas Leaks Project launched a campaign calling for an end to consumers being forced to fund the American Gas Association (AGA) through increased rates on their energy bills. This announcement was made at the U.S. Capitol during a Press Conference, where  U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Gabrielle Walton, Federal Campaign Associate for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), representatives from the Gas Leaks Project and other local climate, health, and environmental groups joined in calling out gas industry profiteering and disinformation.  

There is proof that AGA has known for decades about the negative health effects from burning gas in homes, including asthma and cancer, but its lobbyists have worked hard to maintain the industry’s dominance. Recently, a report by the Huffington Post revealed that the AGA worked to influence the International Code Council (ICC) to strip building codes of provisions that would make it cheaper and easier for consumers to choose more efficient electric appliances over polluting gas-powered ones.

“People are starting to recognize the extent of the American Gas Association’s deception as they suffer from adverse health and environmental outcomes caused by methane gas,” said Gabrielle Walton, Federal Campaign Associate for CCAN. “Our communities should not be forced to fund and become reliant on the source of their hardships; it’s time to correct this injustice.” 

A recent study by Data for Progress showed that most Americans support  policies that would prevent utility providers from using ratepayer funds for lobbying activitiy. 

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Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. Founded in 2002, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.