ADVOCACY
The IMGA is the voice for municipal gas systems in Illinois and nationally.
On the national front…
When ANR Pipeline Company filed a Section 4 rate case with the FERC in 2016 causing transportation rates to increase more than 100%, IMGA provided our customers with a means to fight for just rates and make sure their voices were heard. By partnering with legal counsel in Washington D.C. and municipal gas systems in Kentucky and Tennessee, our members were able to limit the rate increase to only 25%.
When Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America filed a Section 4 rate case in 2010 with the FERC, we made sure our member’s voices were heard. Our legal counsel in Washington D.C. fought to continue providing our members with a discounted transportation rate. Our members have saved over a million dollars every year for more than 20 years.
When Panhandle Eastern Pipeline’s tariffs were unreasonably restrictive in their daily balancing tolerance, IMGA worked with our legal counsel in Washington D.C. to fight for a less restrictive daily tolerance. Our members now enjoy a reasonable daily balancing tolerance resulting in monetary savings during critical times on the pipeline.
When the U.S. House of Representatives was considering ways to increase development of new natural gas resources, John Hammack of Pinckneyville, the IMGA’s representative on the national Public Gas Policy Council, went to Washington to meet with our Congressmen. Two weeks later, the House passed the Deep Offshore Energy Resources Act.
On the local front…
When the Illinois General Assembly considered legislation which would have cost communities thousands of dollars by forcing them to abandon post card billing, the IMGA took the lead in opposing the bill. As a result of IMGA advocacy, the bill’s sponsor, Senator Jones, tabled the bill and promised to work with the Agency to provide communities with better options.
Whether the issue is at the national level or local level, IMGA staff will go to bat for member communities, intervening with state and federal decision-makers to help resolve thorny issues.
