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1. I've been writing about how America's largest gas utility, Southern California Gas Co., is responding to climate change policy in CA. Here's my story today on SoCalGas suing state officials, followed by some additional context... https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-08-04/california-sued-by-nations-biggest-gas-utility-in-climate-change-dispute
1. I've been writing about how America's largest gas utility, Southern California Gas Co., is responding to climate change policy in CA. Here's my story today on SoCalGas suing state officials, followed by some additional context... https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-08-04/california-sued-by-nations-biggest-gas-utility-in-climate-change-dispute
2. Unlike much the country, California has mostly killed coal, leaving oil & natural gas as the major contributors to climate change. Activists and some state officials are pushing to phase out gas heating and cooking, starting with new buildings: https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gas-stove-climate-change-southern-california-20190404-story.html
3. That's an existential threat to SoCalGas, which serves 22 million people and makes billions of dollars every year selling gas. The company has responded with a "balanced energy" campaign, urging city and county officials to come to the defense of gas: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2019-10-22/southern-california-gas-climate-change
4. Consumer watchdogs at the California Public Utilities Commission say SoCalGas has inappropriately spent ratepayer money to fight climate change policies, an accusation the company denies. Investigation is ongoing: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-07-23/is-americas-biggest-gas-utility-fighting-climate-action-california-demands-answers
5. We do know SoCalGas has at times used customer dollars to support its policy objectives, including through contributions to gas industry trade groups. One of those groups, the American Public Gas Association, is running Instagram posts like this one. https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2019-11-22/socalgas-climate-change-customer-funds
6. SoCalGas and other leading industry players say biomethane, also known as renewable gas, can serve as a cleaner alternative to fossil gas. It may have an important role to play, but lots of questions about cost, availability and environmental impacts: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-04-09/cow-poop-california-clean-energy-future
7. Industry pushback against local climate policies is heating up. As the COVID-19 outbreak worsened, a SoCalGas union leader threatened a "no social distancing" protest in San Luis Obispo, warning it would be "potentially adding to this pandemic": https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-05-06/socalgas-union-leader-protest-threat-no-social-distancing
8. Which brings us to today. SoCalGas is suing state officials over their stance on phasing down natural gas. And an advocacy group of which SoCalGas is a leading member is suing to overturn the "advanced clean trucks" rule to promote electric big rigs: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-08-04/california-sued-by-nations-biggest-gas-utility-in-climate-change-dispute
9. None of this is going away anytime soon. We're likely to see ever-fiercer battles in the CA Legislature. And the future of gas is becoming an issue nationally, too.
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I'll be here to cover. Please considering subscribing to support my reporting: http://latimes.com/subscriptions
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