Share this article
CHICAGO, April 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --
For the second straight year, Peoples Gas has been named an Environmental Champion. The recognition was announced on Earth Day by the independent analytics firm Escalent. Peoples Gas is one of just 31 U.S. utilities to be named a 2021 Environmental Champion.
The recognition is based on data that Escalent collected from the customers of America's 140 largest utilities and compiled to create an Environmental Dedication Index. The Index score earned by Peoples Gas was No. 1 among all natural gas utilities in the Midwest.
A key driver of environmental sustainability at Peoples Gas is the company's System Modernization Program, a Chicago-wide effort to replace antiquated, corroding natural gas pipes – many from the 1800s. New pipes and equipment being installed prevent leaks of methane, a greenhouse gas, into the environment. The result: From 2017 to 2019, methane emissions were reduced by 697 metric tons. In terms of environmental impact, that is the equivalent of taking 3,792 gasoline-consuming cars off the road. This emission reduction data was reported to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of the EPA's Methane Challenge Program.