Georgia Lawmakers Advance Natural Gas Preemption Bill
Brynn Anderson / Associated Press file
The Georgia Senate is advancing a bill that would prohibit local governments from banning new natural gas connections. It’s one of a wave of laws like it around the country, pushed by the natural gas industry.
The inspiration for the Georgia bill and the others are cities, like Berkeley, California, that are moving to ban natural gas, in an effort to address climate change.
Georgia state Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican from Macon, said he doesn’t want local governments in Georgia to consider doing the same thing.
“Fortunately, we can take a move today to protect our citizens and local economies by limiting local governments’ ability to pass these types of bans,” he said on the Senate floor Monday.
No local Georgia governments have tried passing any rules like that, though there are a handful of Georgia cities that have made commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
The state House has already approved a version of the legislation.
An attempt by Democratic lawmakers to amend the bill so that it would sunset after five years failed.
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