Turning attention away from the subject of increased domestic natural gas production and increased imports for a change, Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham last week launched the Department of Energy’s (DOE) public awareness campaign to educate businesses, homeowners and consumers on ways they can cut energy bills by practicing smart energy use.

Speaking at the “Smart Energy” press conference in Washington, DC, Abraham said, “Demand for natural gas is growing faster than producers can get it out of the ground and ship it to consumers. If we have an usually hot summer, there’s a chance that prices could increase dramatically because of tight natural gas supplies.”

With lower-than-normal natural gas stocks and higher demand for the popular energy source, the department is kicking off its energy awareness campaign with regional meetings, events, and public service announcements to educate consumers on steps to save on home, business and consumer energy costs this year.

The Washington conference acted as the starter’s gun for the program, where Abraham unveiled the department’s new energysavers.gov website, a series of public service announcements and his own Smart Energy Tour.

The tour delivered Abraham in Long Island City, NY on Wednesday afternoon and was followed by stops Thursday in Philadelphia, PA, Columbus, OH, and Milwaukee, WI.

“America’s natural gas shortage effects everyone, from senior citizens, living on fixed incomes, to small business owners trying to keep the lights on,” Abraham said. “While we work to increase our production and storage capacities for natural gas, we must also focus on using our natural gas resources wisely and to our own best benefit.”

He noted that individuals can play an important role in reducing energy use. “Conserving energy in the home saves consumers money today while also helping ensure abundant energy supplies in the future.”

As part of the Smart Energy Campaign, utility groups announced Wednesday that they will begin stuffing bills to educate consumers on smart energy practices. DOE also will be sending a letter to all 50 governors with recommended actions that states can take to improve the natural gas situation, including infrastructure improvements and joining the Smart Energy Campaign. DOE’s regional summits on energy use will begin in Atlanta, with other cities to be announced later this summer.

Abraham was joined by the American Gas Association, the Alliance to Save Energy, American Public Power Association, and Edison Electric Institute.

“Energy efficiency is the quickest, cheapest, cleanest way to increase natural gas and other energy supplies,” said Alliance to Save Energy Co-President Mark Hopkins. “It must be the foundation of our nation’s energy policy. While we may be running short of natural gas this summer and in the coming winter heating season, we will virtually never run out of energy efficiency. It is our nation’s inexhaustible domestic energy supply.”

The Alliance is a coalition of business, government, environmental, and consumer leaders who promote the efficient use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, economy, and national security.

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