Manufacturers Urge Use of the Defense Productions Act to Build Desperately Needed Natural Gas Pipeline

IECA submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on best uses for the Defense Production Act (DPA) to bolster national security, boost American manufacturing, and lower energy costs.

Paul Cicio, President and CEO of IECA stated: “IECA encourages the DOE to use the DPA to build critical natural gas pipeline infrastructure along the entire eastern seaboard of the U.S. The manufacturing sector needs natural gas pipeline capacity from Alabama to New York to bolster national security, boost American manufacturing investments, and jobs.

Today, there is either none or very limited firm pipeline capacity available, and the firm capacity that is available is being taken by entities that can pass those scarcity prices to customers. This has put existing manufacturing operations at risk and threatens to halt investment in expansions or new facilities. The entire eastern seaboard is supplied by one major pipeline, the Transcontinental Gas Pipeline (Transco). Transco has plans to expand pipeline capacity, but the expansions are insufficient and will not come online until the 4^th quarter of 2025 at the earliest.

Without increased natural gas pipeline capacity, the U.S. has neither natural gas or electric reliability, which threatens national security, safety of homeowners, supply chains, investments and job creation.”