NGVAmerica Call to Action: Only Two Months until NCWM DGE Vote

Paul Speraw• May 18, 2015

In two months, the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) will vote on the diesel gallon equivalent (DGE) standard. The vote will take place at the NCWM Annual Meeting taking place July 19 – 23 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is critical that natural gas advocates reach out to their state regulators in the next month in order to encourage them to support this important vote.

NGVAmerica will attend the meeting to speak in support of the DGE proposal. However, state regulators need to hear from businesses in their affected states. We are asking members, trade allies, and other affected businesses to consider:

Attending the NCWM Meeting and testify during the open session; this involves speaking from the floor during the open session; remarks are often given informally and do not have to be technical or detailed;
Contacting state NCWM officials and urge them to vote for the DGE proposal;
Writing a letter to your state representative urging them to support the DGE proposal and copy the NCWM Executive and others (we have prepared a sample draft letter);
Contact elected officials in states where you operate and urge them to contact the states voting representative;
Let us know if you state regulators have indicated how they plan to vote; and
Let us know if you will be at the meeting in Philadelphia.

This standard compliments the gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) standard that has been in place for more than 20 years. Under the proposal, retailers of CNG and LNG will be able to offer these fuels in diesel gallon equivalent units. CNG retailers would have the option of using GGE or DGE units but LNG would only be sold in DGE units.

Below are links to more information on state representatives and details on the upcoming Annual Meeting. If your state is represented on the L&R or S&T Committees, it would be helpful to also write those officials.

As of this May, ten states now officially recognize the DGE standard as the legal method of sale for natural gas. The latest state to do so was New Mexico, which on May 14 issued final regulations recognizing DGE for CNG and LNG.