After the rally and petition delivery, advocates released the following statements: 

D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen said, “We’ve got a multinational, multi-billion dollar corporation that is not only trying to avoid paying the bill themselves, they are asking ratepayers to foot the bill for dirty infrastructure across our city. That’s why I am proud that the DC Council recently came together and signed a letter to the Public Service Commission saying in one strong voice that we do not support Project Pipes. We said you’ve got to stand up for DC’s residents and our businesses. And the PSC listened to us. So we have to keep up the pressure. I’m proud to continue this fight to stop Project Pipes! There is nothing less that the future of a sustainable and green District of Columbia at stake.”

“In order to build a safer, more affordable D.C., the Public Service Commission  must heed the calls of the thousand-plus DC residents who signed our petition and take a clear step to move beyond gas,” said Mustafa Abdullah, Director of Campaigns and Strategies at Chesapeake Climate Action Network Action Fund. “Washington Gas’s continued spending requests, whether through rate hikes or infrastructure replacement, only deepens our dependence on fossil fuels and exacerbates the climate crisis. Upgrading our homes and buildings with clean energy is critical to meeting D.C. climate goals, but without taking a critical first step to launch a Future of Gas proceeding, District residents will continue to pay the price through higher bills and dirty air.”

“D.C. residents are tired of paying more for outdated, polluting methane gas pipelines that locks us into a cycle of rising energy bills without measurably reducing dangerous gas leaks,” said Katie Meyer, Clean Energy Campaign Representative, DC Chapter of the Sierra Club.  “It’s time for the Commission – and D.C.’s government at large – to change course and launch a District-wide strategy that invests in healthy homes and cost-effective strategies to provide clean heat to entire communities.”

“Our continued reliance on methane gas impacts whether residents can afford to put food on the table or raise their children in homes free from the threat of developing asthma,” said Pastor André Greene of Varick Memorial AME Zion Church and Washington Interfaith Network. “We are proud of the D.C. Council took a measurable step toward a more affordable D.C. by passing the Healthy Homes Act, but just months after passing this critical legislation, Washington Gas wants to steal $2 million from the program to pay for redundant studies that protect its business model. If our utility regulators capitulate, our neighbors will miss a critical opportunity to stabilize their bills and breathe cleaner air. It’s time to stand up for our communities and move beyond gas.”

“Methane gas pollutes the air we breathe and harms the health of our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Joelle Novey, Director of Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA). “We’ve documented unhealthy levels of nitrogen dioxide in hundreds of homes with gas-burning stoves. It’s clear that D.C. residents deserve a real plan that can clean up our air and upgrade our homes with cleaner, more efficient electric equipment. Our utility regulators have an opportunity to say no to this polluting, dirty energy and instead invest in healthier communities. We urge them to do so by rejecting Washington Gas’s latest litany of spending requests and move us beyond gas.” 

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Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) Action Fund is dedicated to driving change in public policies at the local, state and national level to address the climate crisis. Through voter education, lobbying, and participation in the electoral process, we seek to advance our country’s leadership in the global movement towards clean energy solutions — focusing our efforts primarily in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. We know that a vibrant democracy is central to our success so we work to defend democratic integrity wherever we can.