The Pacific Northwest is powered by two essential energy systems: electricity and natural gas. Both serve millions of people, both support economic growth, and both are necessary to meet the region's reliability, affordability, resilience, and environmental goals. As electricity demand grows across the region, it is equally important to recognize the scale, value, and daily importance of the natural gas system. Natural gas is not a secondary energy resource or a supporting

August 13, 2026 Department of Environmental Quality State of Oregon 700 NE Multnomah Street, Suite 600 Portland, Oregon 97232-4100 RE: Comments on Climate Protection Program Emissions-Intensive, Trade- Exposed Entities Rulemaking Dear Department of Environmental Quality Staff, Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments following the second Rulemaking Advisory Committee meeting regarding emissions-intensive, tradeexposed (EITE) entities and direct natural gas (DNG) sour

August 4, 2026 Washington State Building Code Council P.O. Box 41449 Olympia, WA 98504 DELIVERED VIA: sbcc@des.wa.gov Re: Labor and Business Coalition Comments Opposing the Proposed CR-102 Washington State Commercial Energy Code Dear Chair and Members of the Washington State Building Code Council: On behalf of a broad coalition of Washington labor unions, businesses, employers, commercial property owners, industry organizations and business associations, we respectfully submi

August 4, 2026 Washington State Building Code Council P.O. Box 41449 Olympia, WA 98504 DELIVERED VIA: sbcc@des.wa.gov Re: In Support of Recognizing and Incentivizing Advanced Hybrid (Dual-Fuel) Systems in the Proposed Commercial and Residential Energy Code CR102 Rulemaking Dear Chair Beyreuther and Members of the Washington State Building Code Council: The Northwest Gas Association ("NWGA") appreciates the opportunity to provide comments regarding the proposed Commercial and

August 4, 2026 Washington State Building Code Council P.O. Box 41449 Olympia, WA 98504 DELIVERED VIA: sbcc@des.wa.gov Re: Comments of the Northwest Gas Association Opposing the Proposed Commercial and Residential Energy Code CR102 Rulemaking Dear Chair Beyreuther and Members of the Washington State Building Code Council: The Northwest Gas Association ("NWGA") appreciates the opportunity to comment on the proposed 2024 Commercial and Residential Washington State Energy Codes.

By Kurt Miller, CEO & Executive Director, Northwest Public Power Association In a recent Seattle Times op-ed, longtime climate advocate KC Golden called for "an accurate sense of proportion" about blackout risks and rising energy costs related to climate policies. He's right — proportion is exactly what the Northwest's energy debate needs. But a sense of proportion isn't a slogan; it's a math problem, and the test has to be applied in both directions, including to the Pacific

July 16, 2026 Washington State Department of Ecology P.O. Box 47600 Olympia, WA 98504 RE: SEPA Review – Williams Huntingdon Connector Project To Whom It May Concern: The Northwest Gas Association (NWGA) appreciates the opportunity to provide comments regarding the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review of the proposed Huntingdon Connector Project. NWGA represents the region's natural gas utilities and transmission companies that provide safe,reliable, and afford

NWGA Gas Outlook Released, Webinar and Newsboys.

Original Article: "Report: Northwest Natural Gas Demand to Grow 12.2 Percent by 2035" Author/Source: Greg Mason, NewsData Published: July 14, 2026 A newly released industry outlook is projecting significant growth in natural gas demand across the Pacific Northwest over the next decade, while raising concerns about whether the region's existing infrastructure can keep pace. The Northwest Gas Association's 2026 Pacific Northwest Gas Market Outlook, covering Washington, Oregon,

The Pacific Northwest is entering a new energy era. Rapid population growth, electrification, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, large energy loads, and increasing expectations for reliability are fundamentally changing the region's energy needs. Yet much of today's public conversation still treats energy as a simple choice between competing fuels. The Northwest Gas Association's 2026 Pacific Northwest Gas Market Outlook report reaches a different conclusion.

NWGA Releases its 2026 Gas Outlook

Original Article: "Policy Choices, More Than LNG, are Driving BC's Search for New Dams" Author/Source: GlobeNewswire Published: June 25, 2026 British Columbia's provincial government has announced that BC Hydro is actively studying two large new hydroelectric dam projects, one at Site E on the Peace River and another near Bute Inlet at Homathko. Together, these proposed projects could deliver more than 1,600 megawatts of generating capacity and produce between 6,000 and 7,500

Author: Nathan Wilk (KLCC / Northwest News Network / OPB) Published: July 4, 2026 Three years after Eugene, Oregon pulled its proposed ban on new natural gas hookups in low-rise residential buildings, the city has made little measurable progress on home electrification. The original 2023 ordinance was abandoned after a Ninth Circuit ruling struck down a similar California ban on federal preemption grounds, effectively creating a legal wall for such bans nationwide. In the tim

June 1, 2026 Mayor and Members of the Bend City Council City of Bend 710 NW Wall Street Bend, Oregon 97703 Dear Mayor and Council Members, RE: Opposition to Proposed Climate Impact Fee on Natural Gas Appliances We write to respectfully oppose the City of Bend’s proposed 20% “climate impact fee” on new homes built with natural gas equipment. While we share the Council’s commitment to a cleaner energy future, this fee is the wrong tool, applied at the wrong level, at the wrong

The Reflector, Posted Monday, June 15, 2026 6:49 pm Washington Lawmaker Calls for Major Energy Grid Expansion in the Pacific Northwest Washington State Representative John Ley (R-Vancouver) is raising the alarm about the Pacific Northwest's ability to meet growing energy demands while simultaneously transitioning to clean electricity sources. Following his attendance at the Northwest Gas Association's annual conference in Sunriver, Oregon, Ley highlighted what he describes as

Published 7:56 am Tuesday, June 2, 2026 By Kelly Fukai CEO of the NW Gas Association To read on the Bend Bulletin, click here. The city of Bend is moving forward with a 20% “climate impact fee” on new homes built with natural gas equipment. Supporters say it’s time to “stop digging”, implying Bend is in a carbon hole. However, Bend isn’t in a hole, it is on a bridge. The real risk isn’t that Bend keeps digging — it’s that the city burns the bridge its citizens need before we

May 27, 2026 at 8:00 am Updated May 27, 2026 at 8:00 am By Kurt Miller and Kelly Fukai Special to The Seattle Times Click here to read at the Seattle Times Most of Washington’s public energy debate centers on AI and data centers. The April 2026 E3 resource adequacy study — which The Seattle Times editorial board rightly called an alarm for every Washingtonian in “Here’s what WA needs to do to prevent utility-bill hikes and blackouts” — should reframe that conversation. Th

A monthly newsletter from the NWGA for Pacific NW natural gas industry stakeholders and observers.

NWGA Names Jason Verduzco Director of Advocacy and Outreach.

This month's newsletter includes: Annual Energy Conference Countdown Recently Released Forecast and Study Newsbits

This month's newsletter includes: NWGA Blog: April is Safe Digging Month Industry Events AEC Registration is Open Newsbits

April 10, 2026 TO: Oregon Department of Energy FR: Kelly Fukai, CEO, NW Gas Association VIA: OCAC@energy.oregon.gov RE: NWGA Comments on ODOE’s TIGHGER 2.0 Draft Gap Measures and Scenarios for Analysis The Northwest Gas Association (NWGA) respectfully submits these comments to the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) regarding the TIGHGER 2.0 Draft Gap Measures and Scenarios. NWGA represents three natural gas utilities and two transmission pipelines

Each April, utilities and safety organizations across the country recognize National Safe Digging Month —a timely reminder as spring projects ramp up across the Pacific Northwest. For regional natural gas utilities in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, this month is not just a seasonal campaign—it is a core component of public safety, system integrity, and reliable energy delivery. As warmer weather arrives, homeowners, contractors, and municipalities begin landscaping, construc