US representative advocates for propane

LP Gas joined Ohio Propane Gas Association (OPGA) members in meetings on Capitol Hill. OPGA met with Rep. Troy Balderson, a Republican, who was receptive to an interview request from LP Gas Editor-in-Chief Brian Richesson. Here’s a transcript of a telephone interview that took place several weeks after Propane Days, edited for length and clarity.

Balderson

Balderson: Their association was in the office about a month ago. Look, I told them since I was in the state legislature that they’ve got to really start pushing their product a little bit more and being more out and about. They’re trying.

LP Gas: During that visit, it seemed like you were a strong supporter of the industry, a friend of the propane industry. What do you feel has drawn you to the propane industry?

Balderson: The large accessibility that [propane] has, the effectiveness of the cost. It’s very efficient, clean, affordable. We need to continue advocating for that and educate people more of what propane is. A lot of people in the rural communities understand it, know what it is. You see tanks out in their yards or in their fields. That’s not as far as it goes. The other thing is, I’ve got school districts that switched some of their buses to propane. I have a local sheriff’s office using propane in their vehicles. More educating people and getting the word out and just expressing how valuable propane is and the importance of it.

LP Gas: I see you’re on the Propane Caucus. What motivated you to join, and has there been much activity associated with it?

Balderson: What motivated me was just how important [propane] is here in the congressional district. I represent several co-ops. A couple of those co-ops have a propane product as part of their market. We [caucus members] don’t meet a great deal, but we communicate. I know the members. The members that are part of that caucus are in the energy world. Some of them sit on the Energy and Commerce Committee, which I sit on. Just educating ourselves more, so we can help spread the good word about propane and its effectiveness.

LP Gas: You mention being a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Can you explain a little about that committee? What are you focused on right now?

Balderson: It’s the largest jurisdictional committee in Congress. We passed HR 1 (Lower Energy Costs Act). It was in the debt ceiling bill. That helped with a lot of the [infrastructure project] permitting. There’s a lot more work to do with the permitting process. Grid reliability is another one that we’re working on. The electric vehicle push is the other big one.

LP Gas: During our visit, we talked about the threat to propane appliances. The gas stoves issue has been a big one. How strongly do you feel about the consumer having that right to choose their own energy source?

Balderson: People don’t [get] the seriousness of what we’re dealing with here – taking away our choice. Whether we want gas stoves in our home, so be it. If someone wants an electric stove, go for it. We have to have that ability for choice, and that’s what made this country great, to be able to do that. We’re going to continue working on that and making sure we have a choice in our energy selection.

LP Gas: What do you think the future holds for a fuel like propane?

Balderson: We need to talk about the effectiveness of what is done [with propane] in the rural communities and start bringing that more forward. Propane is on the front line. It’s adapting to some of the changes that are happening out there. I’m going to continue pushing for and advocating for that. We have this clean product, a form of energy, and we don’t have it in the conversation a lot of the time. It gets left behind. We have to make sure we put it out there as another choice for our energy needs.

For more information about Troy Balderson, visit balderson.house.gov.

Featured homepage photo courtesy of Troy Balderson’s office