American Gas Association

THE AMERICAN GAS Association (AGA) is a national trade organization composed of natural gas-providing companies. This large group of companies, founded in 1918, was organized to better represent the interests of natural gas providers at the legislative level. The AGA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., on Capitol Hill. According to the AGA, nearly one-quarter of American energy is supplied by natural gas.

The AGA vision statement is “[T]o be the most effective and influential energy trade association in the United States while providing clear value to its membership.” Membership includes 200 companies providing natural gas service to their local communities. The AGA and its members deliver 92 percent of the United States' natural gas supplies. Member companies represent suppliers from all 50 states. The companies are privately-owned, publicly-traded, or municipally-owned. Natural gas distribution companies in the United States are considered full members of the AGA. Additionally, brokers, distributors, gatherers, marketers, pipelines, and storage facilities can be Associate Members of the AGA if they are in North America; natural gas distribution companies in Mexico and Canada may also be associate members. Finally, international or international-affiliate memberships are extended to those companies beyond North America that support international communication between natural gas companies and governments.

Membership privileges include conferences and courses for company executive directors and other employees covering topics such as finances and investments, as well as compensations, legislation, and customer service. Members can also elect to receive newsletters. The five newsletters are the Associate Update, Executive Bulletin, Financial Edge, International Bulletin, and Operations Bimonthly Review.

The AGA also provides written documents related to the use of natural gas and current concerns about climate change and global warming. On February 19, 2007, the company released the “AGA Climate Change Principles,” outlining how changes can be made that would result in natural gas being a safer, more environmentally responsible form of energy. Another document from the same day, the “AGA Climate Change Talking Points,” outlines various significant facts about natural gas, focusing on the improved efficiency of modern appliances and industrial machines, low rate of emissions compared to coal and fuel oil; and arguing for construction of domestic natural gas plants, access to natural gas wells, and the construction of other plants and factories in the United States that would use natural gas power. The organization does not offer a solution to the problem of natural gas wells in protected areas. Nevertheless, due to limited availability of natural gas, AGA proposes research into alternate energy sources as a complement to natural gas; namely, solar and wind power, along with cleaner coal and oil fuel usage.

To further disseminate information about issues concerning natural gas, the AGA publishes a magazine approximately every two months, American Gas Magazine. Issues are focused by theme, including technology and partnerships, legislation, natural gas supply, and even climate change. The climate change issue (August/September 2007) provides information to its readership about carbon footprint reduction and how using natural gas directly for power, rather than using it to generate electricity, provides a cleaner energy source. Because of the relative environmental and economic benefits of natural gas, the AGA has adopted the slogan Natural Gas: the Nation's Energy Advantage.

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