Voters Deserve Their Choice: Natural Gas
January 9, 2026
Need to know
- Check out TEA’s website for the latest in energy news and opinion.
- TEA Takes: Trump bluntly admits why Venezuela action was needed: energy security
- North America leads the largest LNG export surge since 2022.
- Maryland OKs expedited permits for Constellation natural gas plants.
- Report: ‘Highly coordinated activist network’ undermining Trump’s plan for energy dominance.
- The world has a new EV king — and it’s not Tesla.
- The real pain of climate change easy to feel, but increasingly difficult to study.
- Administration is suing California cities over natural gas bans.
- President Trump unveils plan to boost nuclear energy.
- From oil to LNG, too much supply is still the problem in 2026.
- California Republicans aren’t fighting Trump’s offshore drilling plan.
- Ohio Supreme Court to decide future of solar projects across the state.
- Wright: US will sell Venezuelan oil ‘indefinitely.’
- Natural gas is more important and cleaner than most Americans realize.
Common Sense
NATURAL GAS A BEACON OF LIGHT: The Washington Supreme Court will hear a pivotal case — Climate Solutions v. State of Washington — that could determine whether natural gas remains available for heating, cooking and manufacturing.
Why it matters: This case shows why federal and state ARC Energy Security bills are needed to provide affordable, reliable, clean energy — and to uphold voters’ choices over the rogue actions of judicial activism.
Codifying these policies into law will help prevent future damaging actions by federal or state lawmakers or judges.
Bill sponsor Rep. Troy Balderson (R-Ohio) said: “The Affordable, Reliable, Clean Energy Security Act positions the U.S. as the world’s energy leader. It achieves true energy dominance. It directs federal agencies to align their policies with common sense objectives rather than empty promises. It provides a crucial tool for Congressional oversight.”
Washington should follow the lead of Ohio, Tennessee and Louisiana and adopt a state policy redefining natural gas as green energy. More states would benefit from exploring similar legislation that complements the proposed federal policy.
Consider:
- On Jan. 22, the court will hear arguments on Initiative 2066.
- Passed by voters in 2024 (52% to 48%), I-2066 bars laws that block or discourage natural gas hookups.
- Former Gov. Jay Inslee and Democratic lawmakers argue it undermines decarbonization efforts.
As expected, climate groups, King County and Seattle sued. The attorney general and various builders and trade groups are defending the initiative.
The stakes are clear as natural gas underpins housing, roads, bridges, business, and industry. Agriculture relies on it for 15% of U.S. demand; it powers 70–80% of fertilizer production.
Eliminating it would raise costs and could have a negative ripple regionally or nationally.
Bottom line: Voters wanted energy choice. The free market — not the courts — should decide customer access to natural gas.
Nonsense
The December stop work order is estimated to be costing the 700-MW Revolution Wind project $1.44 million per day, project attorneys alleged.
- There should be a very high bar for pulling permits for these projects, just as there should for all projects.
- They are subsidized debacles that don’t replace fossil fuel power plants.
- They save power plants some fuel, but at a huge expense.