After Scolding by Regulator, National Fuel Renews Campaign Against Gas Transition
State investigators accused the gas utility of “sloppiness” in managing customer funds, but took a light touch in enforcement.
Colin Kinniburgh · April 1, 2024
![A closeup photo of a natural gas stove flame](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/lajf0n7nDn_n-TRQAw2lilWeBM5-4-I391cEKvK1PDw/w:820/h:546/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9OYXR1cmFsLWdhcy1mbGFtZS5wbmc.jpg)
Regulators concluded that National Fuel had in fact committed some customer funds to lobbying — a practice that is illegal — but that it did so by accident and quickly corrected the errors when notified by the department. |
![A screenshot of a filing from the New York Department of Public Service featuring a script for a TV ad. The filing features a woman holding a coffee mug and the script reads, "Woman on-camera VO: I've had gas for years. And I couldn't be happier. My husband loves it too."](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/hkrukOQKtbwSIv-jeuRDA1jdoVF42DZbOSJFmD-kEzM/w:820/h:1037/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9OYXRpb25hbC1GdWVsLWNvb3AtYWQtVmFjaW5lay1TY3JlZW5zaG90LTIwMjQtMDQtMDEtYXQtMi4yMy4zMS1QTS5wbmc.png)
National Fuel customers have paid for a “cooperative advertising campaign” that helps local contractors place ads promoting natural gas, the company recently disclosed.
| New York Department of Public Service
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![A Facebook ad from New Yorkers for Affordable energy that states, "Let Gov. Hochul know: The Electric Slide is a wedding song... not an energy policy."](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/2XJUpiYMlTtCi95COdd8xO-T5ac-PC18ZyiupRcsdPU/w:820/h:1283/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9OWTRBRS1GYWNlYm9vay1hZC1IRUFULWVsZWN0cmljLXNsaWRlLVNjcmVlbnNob3QtMjAyNC0wNC0wMS1hdC0yLjE2LjQ0LVBNLnBuZw.png)
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![A Facebook ad from New Yorkers for Affordable Energy in the style of "Jeopardy."](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/bmGtMCtKQzMrfbI90zeWkV1mLz2HwjxGLMstczTO5Es/w:820/h:1223/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9OWTRBRS1GYWNlYm9vay1hZC1IRUFULWplb3BhcmR5LVNjcmVlbnNob3QtMjAyNC0wNC0wMS1hdC0yLjE2LjE3LVBNLnBuZw.png)
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New Yorkers for Affordable Energy, a group dominated by gas interests, launched a series of Facebook ads opposing the NY HEAT Act in March.
![](https://imgproxy.gridwork.co/G5bs5OcQns7UWk3rEuzFny4wnf6qwKIUatWESycfMCI/w:135/h:190/rt:fill/g:fp:0.5:0.5/q:90/f:jpg/el:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy51cy1lYXN0LTIuYW1hem9uYXdzLmNvbS9ueXNmb2N1cy9Db2xpbi1LaW5uaWJ1cmdoXzIwMjMtMDQtMjEtMDU0OTI5X3hxbHcuanBn.jpg)
Colin Kinniburgh is a reporter at New York Focus, covering the state’s climate and environmental politics. Over a decade in media, he has worked in print, television, audio, and online news, and participated in fellowship programs at CUNY’s Graduate School of Journalism and… more
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