Local 686 gas workers will work to upgrade 40 miles of aging cast iron pipes with modern materials under a $75 million grant Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) recently received from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. The funding, a result of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will bolster PGW’s Main Replacement Program, which aims to improve safety, lower costs, and enhance service reliability.
Aging infrastructure accounts for a significant portion of methane emissions. Replacing leak-prone pipes will help PGW meet its goal of reducing these emissions by 80 percent by 2050, and thus make operations safer for communities and employees while contributing to broader climate goals.