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Commending Virginia Natural Gas.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 9, 2026
WHEREAS, in 2025, Virginia Natural Gas celebrated 175 years of providing safe and reliable energy to residential, commercial, and industrial customers throughout southeastern Virginia; and
WHEREAS, Virginia Natural Gas traces its roots to the mid-1800s, when cities around the country were transitioning to gas lighting; and
WHEREAS, in 1850, the City of Norfolk granted a charter to City Gas Light Company, which later became part of Dominion Virginia Power until 1982, when the natural gas division was established as a separate entity, Virginia Natural Gas; and
WHEREAS, through the 1980s and 1990s, Virginia Natural Gas functioned as a subsidiary of Dominion Resources, Consolidated Natural Gas Company, and then AGL Resources, Inc., which ultimately became part of the Atlanta-based Southern Gas Company in 2000; and
WHEREAS, as part of the Southern Gas Company group, Virginia Natural Gas benefits from the resources and best practices of its parent company and adapts those to meet the needs of local customers; and
WHEREAS, Virginia Natural Gas currently serves more than 300,000 customers in southeastern Virginia and accounts for a substantial portion of in-state energy generation through natural gas in the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Virginia Natural Gas has a significant economic impact on the region, working with developers and local officials to attract new businesses and ensure that existing businesses have access to the energy they need to expand operations; the company directly supports 400 full-time jobs and approximately 600 contractor positions; and
WHEREAS, in 2012, Virginia Natural Gas established the Steps to Advance Virginia's Energy (SAVE) program, which has since led to the replacement of all low-pressure pipes in the company's energy system and upgraded more than 575 miles of aging infrastructure with modern, durable materials; and
WHEREAS, thanks to the SAVE program and other initiatives, Virginia Natural Gas has reduced greenhouse gas emissions, even while increasing the size of its overall distribution network; and
WHEREAS, Virginia Natural Gas has also partnered with the Hampton Roads Sanitation District to build a renewable natural gas facility at the Atlantic Treatment Plant, which will convert biogas from wastewater treatment into an additional source of natural gas, representing the company's commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability; and
WHEREAS, Virginia Natural Gas is currently building its new Operations Headquarters in Chesapeake, which will complement its existing Corporate Headquarters in Virginia Beach, demonstrating commitment to the region and forward-looking leadership in safe, clean, reliable energy; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Virginia Natural Gas hereby be commended on the occasion of its 175th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Shannon O. Pierce, chief executive officer of Virginia Natural Gas, as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the organization's legacy of service to the Hampton Roads Region and the Commonwealth as a whole.