America's Natural Gas Alliance - In Case You Missed It: Washington Post Recognizes Important Role for Natural Gas in Editorial "A Natural Choice"

WASHINGTON, March 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Background: In a Sunday Washington Post editorial, the paper recognized that "one of the most promising developments of recent months has been the growing recognition in Washington that natural gas may play a key role in curbing carbon emissions," noting that this American resource "produces half the emissions of burning coal" and "switching the two fuels could put a significant dent in America's carbon footprint."

The paper also recognized that new onshore natural gas discoveries offer "the prospect of stable domestic supplies and relatively low prices."

An abbreviated version is below and the full editorial can be found at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/27/AR2010022702804.html.

A natural choice

Washington Post

Sunday, February 28, 2010

"IN AMERICA'S climate debate, one of the most promising developments of recent months has been the growing recognition in Washington that natural gas may play a key role in curbing carbon emissions. The resurgence of gas comes through the discovery of massive deposits in Appalachian shale formations and elsewhere -- a reserve that offers the prospect of stable domestic supplies and relatively low prices. Since burning natural gas produces half the emissions of burning coal, switching the two fuels could put a significant dent in America's carbon footprint…

"With climate-change legislation still stalled in Congress, nudging gas forward is something that the government can do quickly and relatively cheaply to meet its medium-term emissions goals if current trends persist.

"But existing gas-fired plants are running at only about 25 percent capacity, in part because many are switched on only when demand spikes. The Congressional Research Service reports that doubling the use of existing plants could replace about a third of coal-fired power, getting America a third of the way to its goal for 2020."

SOURCE America's Natural Gas Alliance

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