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North American natural gas and oil production, which represents 92% of sales from continuing operations, will continue to drive Pioneer Natural Gas Resources Co.’s earnings this year, with quarterly output up 6% over a year ago and the company on track to hit double-digit growth by the end of 2006, company officials said Tuesday.

The American Gas Association (AGA), which represents gas utilities, had its fingers crossed that Congress last week would approve a total of $4.2 billion in funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for fiscal 2006. But when the legislative dust settled late Wednesday, the Senate funded the program at only half that level and below what it had approved in fiscal 2005, despite record-breaking home heating costs this winter.

The American Gas Association (AGA), which represents gas utilities, earlier this week had its fingers crossed that Congress would approve a total of $4.2 billion in funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for fiscal 2006. But after the legislative dust settled Wednesday, the Senate funded the program at only half that level and below what it had approved in fiscal 2005, despite record-breaking home heating costs this winter.

The Edison Electric Institute (EEI), which represents investor-owned utilities, opposes any effort by Congress to limit utility access to natural gas for electric generation, dictate what fuel should be used to produce electricity or federally mandate the efficient dispatch of generation plants, EEI President Tom Kuhn told a Senate panel Tuesday.

The Louisiana Municipal Gas Authority (LMGA), which represents 57 small municipally owned natural gas distribution systems in the state, has asked FERC to waive the assessment of penalties, fees and charges — other than for transportation of gas to a customer — by pipelines on its member customers during the post-Hurricane Katrina emergency.

Citing a new report that it commissioned, the New England Council, which represents businesses, academic institutions and health organizations throughout New England, issued a warning on Wednesday that the region could face severe economic consequences without rapid construction of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals.

The American Public Gas Association (APGA), which represents the nation’s public gas systems, urged Interior Secretary Gale Norton to include language in the agency’s next five-year oil and gas leasing plan (2007-2012) that allows for lease sales in areas currently subject to drilling moratoria.

The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), which represents the nation’s independent gas and oil producers, is urging the Interior Department to do away with the current price thresholds that cut off royalty incentives for deepwater gas and oil production when prices get to a certain level. IPAA also wants the department to take a closer look at the potential impact on Gulf of Mexico leasing from siting LNG terminals offshore.

The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), which represents the nation’s independent gas and oil producers, is urging the Interior Department to do away with the current price thresholds that cut off royalty incentives for deepwater gas and oil production when prices get to a certain level.