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Collection: Freeing our Cities from Fracked Gas

Leaks In The City: Methane’s Invisible Menace

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Small methane leaks multiplied across city infrastructure add up to a climate menace.

In the US, gas utilities are legally required to stop leaks that endanger people (for instance, when gas leaks in a building are in concentrations high enough to ignite and explode), yet they face much less stringent regulation when it comes to addressing gas leaks that don’t pose an immediate safety hazard, such as a small leak from an outdoor meter. But it’s a problem worth addressing because “nonhazardous” gas leaks are quietly increasing greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere, and their ultimate impact has yet to come.

The Northwest City Leader in Reducing Dependence on Fracked Gas

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Many Northwest communities are trying to free themselves from fossil fuels, but the region’s widespread reliance on natural gas to heat and operate buildings poses a major challenge. But cities have a hidden mechanism for cleaning up their energy supply: they can modify their contracts that govern how utilities can use the public right of … Read more

It’s Been 138 Years since Seattle Last Updated Its Fracked Gas Utility Contract

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Seattle gas utility franchise contract

Among the hidden levers for decarbonizing the Northwest are “franchise agreements,” the unassuming but influential contracts that govern utilities’ use of the public right of way in cities and towns. Local governments can renegotiate their agreements with gas utilities to require better environmental performance or to raise costs on gas providers in various ways. Many … Read more

Franchise Agreements: Two Pen Strokes Could Help Wean Washington Off Natural Gas

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Franchise agreements could help wean Washington off fossil fuels.

Decarbonizing the Northwest’s economy may seem like a herculean challenge, but local governments are well-positioned to advance on some key fronts. One prime opportunity for cities is figuring out how to gradually transition away from heating houses and businesses with oil and gas and instead use clean electricity. An obvious route is to simply ban … Read more

Should Northwest Cities Ban Fracked Gas in New Buildings?

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ban fracked gas cities homes Pacific Northwest

There’s little debate that the global climate cannot afford to keep burning fossil fuels for decades to come. Yet even in North America’s most climate-enlightened precincts, there’s a ferocious debate about how to stop making the problem worse. Witness Seattle, where city councilmember Mike O’Brien recently attempted to outlaw gas installations in new buildings (except … Read more

Despite Inslee’s Opposition, Gas Industry Still Plans Big Expansion in the PNW

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gas industry oil pipeline

When Washington Governor Jay Inslee reversed course last month to oppose two big gas infrastructure projects, it may have marked the turning of the tide against an industry that has enjoyed seemingly unfettered growth in the Northwest. And it isn’t a moment too soon. Even as climate scientists’ warnings become more urgent and our understanding … Read more

Small Seattle Pipeline Expansion would mean Big Carbon Pollution Increase

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backbone campaign pipeline protest

The slow-motion battle expanding a six-mile pipeline in suburban Seattle might seem like small potatoes, but it’s Exhibit A in the fracked gas industry’s new playbook. Rather than roll out mega-project proposals sure to garner coordinated opposition, the gas industry now favors smaller, piecemeal projects that can avoid critical review. The western Washington gas utility … Read more