Southwest Gas is asking for a second massive rate hike in just two years. The Arizona Corporation Commission should turn it down.As religious leaders in Tucson, we work to mobilize people of faith and conscience to care for our common home and work for climate justice. We recognize the harm that fossil fuels like “natural” gas have wreaked on our environment, and we seek to accelerate a clean energy future.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in dues that Southwest Gas pays to industry lobbyists working to continue the climate crisis.Costs incurred by developers to extend gas lines to new developments. Gas is not the “natural” alternative the industry claims. Studies show that gas appliances emit harmful pollutants in your home that contribute to respiratory illnesses, especially in children and seniors. Methane, the main component in gas, has a global warming potential that is as much as 87 times greater than carbon dioxide.
Clean energy is where the future lies and where state leaders need to focus their attention. We should not be propping up an industry with excessive rate increases, especially in a time of high inflation.