PGW part of group lobbying against federal funding used by city

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As Philadelphia and Pennsylvania officials work to preserve federal funding to fight climate change, a natural gas industry group whose largest member is Philadelphia Gas Works, has asked the Trump administration to do a “comprehensive review” of those same federal dollars.

The lobbying effort is occurring as the city and state work to maintain the $700 million in  federal funding to reduce climate-warming emissions and promote clean energy.

The industry group is targeting programs that would decrease the use of natural gas to heat buildings by using electricity instead. The federal funds include heat pump subsidies, contractor training grants and appliance rebate programs, along with cutting carbon emissions of federal buildings through electrification.

Some of the federal funds would go directly to the city while others would go to nongovernmental organizations.

Climate advocates say the transition toward heating buildings with electricity would equal long term cost savings for customers.

PGW, the nation’s largest municipally owned gas utility with more than 500,000 customers and 1,600 employees, said it did not have knowledge of the lobbying effort. The city-owned utility is an active member of the American Public Gas Association, the umbrella organization for about 1,000 nonprofit gas utilities that remain publicly owned, and which the association’s website says “are directly accountable to the citizens they serve.”

PGW pays $58,000 in annual dues to the trade group, according to the utility’s fiscal year 2025 operating budget. The trade group recently listed PGW’s director of regulatory strategy as chair of its committee on government regulation.

Climate activists and ratepayer advocates have criticized the use of PGW customers’ dollars to fund lobbying, especially when it undermines climate policies and goals of the city.

“This means that they are forcing ratepayers to fund [American Public Gas Association’s] anti-climate lobbying against the City and ratepayer’s interests,” said Mitch Chanin, a volunteer with POWER Interfaith. “Instead of opposing federal support for innovative programs that reduce energy bills, clean our air, protect our climate, and create green jobs, PGW should prioritize the needs of Philadelphia’s communities.”