Greg Lane: Protecting natural gas as an energy choice is critical to Washington

Natural gas delivers warmth and comfort to more than a million Washington homes. It also is the lifeblood of thousands of restaurants and businesses. Natural gas is a critical piece of our state’s energy grid, supplementing renewables like hydro power, solar and wind.

Over the past several years, powerful political interests have set their sights on ending natural gas service for all those who rely on it in a relentless push toward full-scale electrification.

The governor has been clear about his goal to “get out of the fossil fuel business.” When he couldn’t pass a gas ban in the legislature, he circumvented the public and worked through the Washington State Building Code Council. An unelected body charged with setting the building codes for commercial and residential construction, the council used its power to advance the governor’s goal without going through the legislative process.

Throughout the process, the Building Industry Association of Washington has challenged these efforts both at the council and in the courts. At this point, Washington’s building codes make building homes with natural gas stoves, fireplaces, furnaces and water heaters so costly, it’s essentially a ban on natural gas in all new homes and commercial buildings.

Under the new code, it’s three times more expensive to use natural gas appliances instead of all-electric ones. That’s largely due to the amount of solar needed to offset the disincentive for using those appliances – even if your project doesn’t have ample sunlight.

At the same time, the Legislature has continued its drive to ban natural gas over the last several sessions. This year, it approved HB 1589. This highly controversial bill passed in the dark of night with several Democrats joining Republicans in opposing because they knew Washingtonians who rely on natural gas would be furious.

Initiative 2066 protects natural gas and propane as energy choices against natural gas bans in any form, at any level of government in the state, and at any time. Opponents will try to tell you not to worry about this. “There is no natural gas ban,” they say. “It’s all misinformation.”

Trying to convince voters there’s no attempt to end natural gas and propane service in Washington and disguising it as “decarbonization” is disingenuous at best, and deceitful at worst.

Utilities like Avista have stated they understand Washington needs all sources of power to provide reliable service to their customers. But our state’s utilities must also comply with the laws of our state.

That’s why Initiative 2066 is so important. We must protect natural gas and propane as energy sources for the families and businesses in Washington who rely on it.

People across the political spectrum want natural gas and propane to cook, heat their homes and warm their water and provide much needed security to our fragile energy grid – and they don’t want to be forced to pay for a political agenda through their power bills.

Supporters of energy choice only have until July 5 to gather the 405,000 signatures we need to add this initiative to the ballot in November and give voters the chance to protect the natural gas and propane service we need.

Find signing locations and request initiative petitions at www.letsgowashington.com.

Greg Lane, of Olympia, is executive vice president of the Building Industry Association of Washington, which represents more than 8,200 members of the home building industry, including members of the Spokane Home Builders Association.