On Thursday, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a bill that requires state regulators to open a proceeding to consider funding biomethane interconnection infrastructure through a gas corporation’s utility rates.
The bill, A.B.3187, was authored by Assemblymember Tim Grayson and sponsored by the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas (RNG Coalition). Specifically, it requires the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to open the proceeding no later than July 1, 2019.
“Renewable natural gas has many environmental advantages because it can replace fossil sources of natural gas in homes and businesses,” says Grayson. “This legislation will help equip biomethane producers and utilities to further integrate this clean energy technology in order to meet California’s greenhouse-gas reduction goals.”
“With California’s organic waste diversion and methane reduction mandates fast approaching, it is critical that we consider policies now to enable the development of renewable natural gas facilities in California,” adds Nina Kapoor, the RNG Coalition’s director of state government affairs. “A.B.3187 directs the CPUC to consider addressing the single-largest cost barrier – interconnection costs – and enables the industry to invest in and construct RNG facilities to lead us to meet our climate change goals. The RNG Coalition looks forward to the opportunity to advocate for increased interconnection incentives before the California Public Utilities Commission next year.”
