AGA Board of Directors Takes Step to Advance Cybersecurity, Safety, & Environmental Stewardship

News ReleaseMay 18, 2021

Washington, D.C. - At an American Gas Association Board of Directors meeting today, the Board moved to advance their commitment to cybersecurity through a resolution to support reasonable cybersecurity regulations. Elements of reasonable regulation would:

• Allow risk-based methodology
• Support a framework organized by the function's identity, protect, detect, respond and recover
• Permit operator flexibility to pivot to a constantly evolving cyber threat landscape
• Align with natural gas industry cybersecurity guidelines and standards for operational technology

This is the next step in the evolution of AGA's Commitment to Cyber and Physical Security, which was developed to demonstrate dedication to ensuring that natural gas pipeline infrastructure remains resilient to growing and dynamic cyber and physical security threats.

AGA and its members have consistently increased their cybersecurity awareness through critical programs including the AGA Peer Cyber Review Program, Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Model Workshops, Cyber Metrics, and development of API 1164 version 3.0 consensus-based cybersecurity standards for pipeline operational technology.

'AGA members take their cybersecurity responsibility seriously and clearly recognize how their vigilance contributes to ensuring the safe and reliable delivery of natural gas,' said Karen Harbert, AGA President and CEO. 'While AGA and its members have made significant progress in maturing cybersecurity efforts, the cybersecurity landscape has grown more complex and malicious actors have increased their attacks on our industry. Reasonable regulations on the natural gas operational technology systems which are consistent with the NIST (National Institutes of Standards and Technology) Cybersecurity Framework make sense. Right now, industry and government need to remain laser-focused on our common mission: working faster and smarter than our adversaries.'

Additionally, the AGA Board of Directors passed a resolution to advance safety, security and environmental stewardship across the industry through an expanded AGA Commitment to Enhancing Safety, Environmental Stewardship, and Security. This Commitment builds on AGA's Commitment to Enhancing Safety, which was first adopted in 2011. Included in this commitment are elements promoting advanced safety cultures, implementing Pipeline Safety Management Systems (PSMS) and self-executing mandate in the 2020 PIPES Act Section 114 Inspection and Maintenance, executing AGA's 10 commitments for reducing emissions to help address climate change and accelerate initiatives to advance energy efficiency and incorporating TSA (Transportation Security Administration) Pipeline Security Guidelines into company security plans.

'Not a day goes by that AGA's members are not proactively advancing safety and security,' continued Harbert. 'From continually replacing pipelines to participating in AGA's Peer Review Program, companies are dedicated to ensuring Americans have the energy they need, while keeping communities, customers and employees safe. Today's Board resolution underscores just how committed these companies are to the safe and reliable delivery of clean energy to American's homes and businesses.'

The American Gas Association, founded in 1918, represents more than 200 local energy companies that deliver clean natural gas throughout the United States. There are more than 76 million residential, commercial and industrial natural gas customers in the U.S., of which 95 percent - more than 72 million customers - receive their gas from AGA members. Today, natural gas meets more than thirty percent of the United States' energy needs.

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