SANTA ANA, Calif. – Southern California Gas has sued a state agency for allegedly ignoring a state law that requires natural gas to be included in the state energy plans.
“Despite the California Legislature’s directives to include natural gas in California’s energy plans, the California Energy Commission has decided to substantially eliminate its use in the state,” the lawsuit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, said. “This case seeks to require the CEC to comply with the law.”
The Natural Gas Act was approved by the California legislature in 2013, Andy Carrasco, vice president of Strategy & Engagement and chief environmental officer for SoCalGas, told the Southern California Record.
“A broad coalition of business, health, environmental and energy stakeholders came together to support forward-looking legislation to secure for Californians affordable and reliable energy services in the future, specifically by maximizing the environmental and economic benefits of the natural gas system,” Carrasco said.
The law, Assembly Bill 1257, requires the energy commission to “develop a standalone report every four years that identifies strategies and options that maximize the benefits of the gas grid to California consumers, including its role in keeping energy affordable and reliable, and in facilitating new clean energy technologies.” Carrasco said.
The law requires the energy commission to "encourage the balanced use of natural gas along with other energy sources, and it must avoid reliance on a single source of energy," the lawsuit said.
Despite the law, the energy commission refused to update its report in 2019, Carrasco said. “Our goal is to have the CEC appropriately revise the 2019 [report] to accurately reflect the intent of AB 1257, which remains state law.”
The energy commission may disagree with the law, but still has to comply with it, the lawsuit said. "While the CEC may disagree with the directives imposed upon it by the Legislature, it is not free to ignore them in favor of its own policy objectives, no matter how strongly felt.".