Underground Infrastructure - August 2023 - 16

American Gas Association
are trying to understand global events,
how things are related and how they
impact one another. Suddenly, countries
like France are saying they need imports,
and other countries in Europe are
signing longer term contracts with U.S.
natural gas suppliers and need imported
natural gas or LNG to decouple their access
from Russia.
We have 187 million people in the
United States who are using natural gas.
So, people are looking at Ukraine and
saying, 'No, I don't want my gas taken
away. I want to stay warm and have hot
water and cook meals.'
types of customers - through our social
media, through our technology platforms,
through our community meetings,
through our philanthropic giving - to
educate them on the role that natural gas
plays in the United States and the world?
People have a keen interest in natural
gas now and want to learn more. There
are some you'll never convince of its benefits,
and there are some who are much
more knowledgeable. But most of us are
in the middle. We have busy lives, but we
also want to be a bit smart about a topic
that's important to us.
We also want to know what we're
hearing is true, and I think our industry
and our individual companies are trusted
advisors of sorts. We're regulated, so we
also work extensively with state regulators,
governors and other policymakers.
I think that's part of our connectedness.
Fortunately, the AGA team has gotten
really good at providing us with resources
so that we're all singing from the same
hymnal, so to speak.
I believe that part of the way that people
learn and think about these things is
through education, and we have the ability
to drown people with factual information
through our people in the field, our websites
and social media, and with our bills
that go in the mail or electronically to customers.
Innovation is the other piece I'm
specifically focused on now because education
and innovation go hand in hand.
16 AUGUST 2023 | UndergroundInfrastructure.com
UI: There have been some
worrisome trends for the industry
around actions such as efforts to ban
natural gas from new construction
in certain cities. What is the pulse of
policymakers you talk to?
Sitherwood: It's difficult to make a blanket
statement across the United States,
of course. When I talk to policymakers,
I find that they're getting a lot smarter
about energy. These are people who have
responsibility for making sure that our
industries continue to function.
And why is that? It goes back to the
point that we have to invest in infrastructure
and modernize energy systems. And
yes, we're looking at renewables and how
to add that to our system, and we're looking
at hydrogen. That's important. That's
innovation. It's part of our future, and it's
our job. But from a customer perspective,
people want resilient, affordable energy
that works for them.
UI: Have you found that people
are becoming more attuned to the
concept of energy security after the
Russian gas supply cuts to Europe?
Sitherwood: Yes, there is a little bit of
an awakening now, given what people
have seen with Ukraine and Europe, the
relationship between Russia and China,
and the need for energy resiliency and
access to energy.
Yes, they know about the opposition
to fossil fuels. But I think more people
UI: Are you concerned about the
increased difficulty in building
infrastructure in the United States,
so people who want natural gas
can get it?
Sitherwood: This is extremely important
to me because I believe it's foundational
to our country. We are a free society
and customers should have a choice.
They should have the opportunity to be
educated. And we have a responsibility
to inform.
We should be the ones creating the
innovation and the technologies that
are going to better our energy future.
On a global basis, when our energy infrastructure
is strong, there are supply
choices and we keep our prices reasonable
and competitive in the world. We
know we're a stronger country for it.
Manufacturing in the United States can
compete when energy supplies are reasonably
priced, abundant and resilient.
So, the brewer down the street here or
the chemical plant we talked about don't
have to worry if the energy will show up
or what their prices are going to be.
When you constrain infrastructure
and constrain availability of the supply
basins, you are constraining our country
and you are constraining our industry,
not to mention affecting customers at
home trying to pay their bill. That's what
I'm passionate about at a larger scale.
And why would we not lean into a true
natural advantage for this country - an
abundant supply of natural gas coupled
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Underground Infrastructure - August 2023

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