MANCHESTER, N.H. – Assistant Secretary of Energy for Policy and International Affairs Vicky Bailey traveled to Manchester, N.H, today to talk about potential natural gas shortages facing the nation that may significantly impact the lives of seniors, small business owners and Northeast residents in the coming months.
Assistant Secretary Bailey participated in the Department of Energy’s Regional Natural Gas Forum accompanied by New Hampshire Governor Craig Benson and state and federal energy officials. The forum brought together representatives from consumer groups, industry and government for an open discussion on short-term solutions to the natural gas problem.
“This is not about low reserves or supply and demand imbalances,” Assistant Secretary Bailey said. “This is about real people facing the economic consequences when gas prices soar. It’s about senior citizens, living on fixed incomes, being forced to choose between skyrocketing heating bills or other basic needs. It’s about small business owners trying to keep the lights on and meeting a payroll.”
Assistant Secretary Bailey stated that current stocks of natural gas in underground storage are unusually low due to a combination of cold weather in parts of the country and declines in both domestic production and net imports. At the same time, she said, demand is projected to grow 50 percent over the next 25 years.
“While we work to increase our production and storage capacity for natural gas, we must also focus on using our natural gas resources wisely,” Assistant Secretary Bailey said. “Individuals, businesses and government each play an important role in reducing energy use.”
Rebuild New Hampshire, a Department of Energy program, has been working collaboratively for more than two years with the New Hampshire Department of Education to improve the quality of schools built in the state, and has identified new schools and school upgrades as a major opportunity area for energy efficiency and conservation technologies and measures.
The Manchester meeting was one of several regional forums to be held across the country as part of Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham’s Smart Energy campaign, announced on July 9. Campaign activities include the Energysavers.gov website that educates consumers on specific steps they can take to conserve energy, a letter from the Secretary to all 50 governors with recommended actions that states can take to improve the natural gas situation, and public service announcements available on the Energysavers.gov website for use by radio stations throughout the country.
