One of the Gas Industry Standard Board’s (GISB) goals in thecoming year will be to drum up participation in the standardsorganization among local distribution companies, while 33 of GISB’s157 members are LDCs – making the industry segment the third mostheavily represented, behind pipelines and service providers – LDCinput into standards development could be greater, conceded GISBExecutive Director Rae McQuade.

“We have not had much LDC participation, but the LDCparticipation that we have had has been stellar. The LDC communityas a whole is being represented by a couple of extremely strongleaders. I think the agenda that we have, we’re looking at websitestandards, will necessarily bring more LDCs in because that’s whatthey’re interested in.

However, GISB recently lost six LDC members who did not renewmemberships from last year, noted Mary Jane McCartney, senior vicepresident for Consolidated Edison gas operations, during her speechTuesday at GISB’s fourth annual meeting in San Antonio. McCartneysuggested the four smaller LDCs of the nonrenewing group probablywere put off by a GISB dues increase. Dues now are $5,00/year forrenewing members and $2,000 for a new member’s first year ofmembership. McCartney and other speakers pointed out some concernsLDCs have with regard to GISB. To some, she said, GISB is seen as adriving force pushing LDC unbundling. Mainly though, McCartney andothers said LDCs simply failed to see the relevance of GISB totheir businesses as they view the standards organization as aplayer at the federal level only.

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