{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://carson.house.gov/media/press-releases/citizens-energy-group-congressman-andre-carson-local-and-national-leaders", "Citizens Energy Group, Congressman Andr\u00e9 Carson, Local and National Leaders Break Ground on $7.5 Million in Upgrades to Natural Gas Infrastructure", "2024-08-16", "2024", "2024-08", "Democrat", "House", "IN", "Andr\u00e9 Carson", "C001072", "carson.house.gov", "carson", "https://carson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding through a federal grant brings upgrades to 4 miles of safer, more efficient pipeline.\n\nINDIANAPOLIS\u2014Citizens Energy Group (\u201cCitizens\u201d) today broke ground on a multi-year project to upgrade four miles of legacy natural gas pipeline at key locations on the east side of Indianapolis, made possible by a $7.5 million federal grant. Citizens leadership, U.S. Congressman Andr\u00e9 Carson, local Indianapolis leaders, and Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) provided remarks commending the impact that projects like this one can have on a community.\n\n\u201cCitizens continues to work toward improving our infrastructure, securing outside funding where we can for upgrades across our various utility systems,\u201d said Jeffrey Harrison, President & CEO of Citizens Energy Group. \u201cWe\u2019re building upon decades of pipeline safety improvements within our nearly 4,000-mile system by making this four-mile portion even more resistant to corrosion via new contemporary plastic pipeline.\u201d\n\nConstruction begins in 2024 on a portion of natural gas main in the Avondale Meadows neighborhood, generally along the Rural Street corridor between Fall Creek and 30th Street. The next two years will see additional construction along this same corridor south into the Martindale Brightwood neighborhood and at the site of a legacy natural gas main in the Far Eastside neighborhood installed more than 70 years ago.\n\n\u201cThe Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver,\" said Congressman Andr\u00e9 Carson. \"Indiana alone has already received $7.9 billion for necessary improvement to our roads, public transit, and airports. Now, we\u2019re ensuring the safety of our neighborhoods by upgrading natural gas main lines \u2013 and it\u2019s all thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which I proudly championed. Together, we can improve public health and safety and reduce methane emissions that could otherwise be a threat to our community for years to come.\u201d\n\nCitizens was one of 37 recipients for this round of infrastructure funding via a Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization grant established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and administered by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (\u201cPHMSA\u201d, an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation). Within the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this grant program will provide nearly $1 billion of funding exclusively for publicly- and community-owned gas utilities (including Indianapolis as a recipient).\n\n\u201cPHMSA is proud to join Citizens Energy Group and Congressman Carson to break ground on this expedited effort to replace 4 miles of aged, leak-prone, cast iron pipe across Indianapolis,\u201d said PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown. \u201cFunding for this project was made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, supporting this project to increase pipeline safety, reduce pollution, and save people money on their energy bills.\u201d\n\nKey goals of the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization grant include enhancing pipeline safety and preventing pipeline leaks, which can have impacts on the improvement of public safety and public health outcomes for neighborhoods in addition to reducing methane emissions from natural gas distribution pipes.\n\n\u201cIn Martindale Brightwood, our neighborhood is guided by resident-influenced Quality of Life goals, several of which speak to the safety of our infrastructure,\u201d said Barato Britt, President & CEO of Edna Martin Christian Center. \u201cThis project represents an investment in the long-term health and safety of our residents, and I want our neighbors to see and hear about the work that will be done to sustain our vibrant community.\u201d\n\nCitizens\u2019 natural gas system has been recognized as one of the safest, best maintained urban gas utilities in the U.S., a comparison confirmed by an ongoing leak detection study by the Environmental Defense Fund. For more information on the construction progress and phasing of this ongoing effort, please visit www.citizensnergygroup.com/castironreplacement.\n\nAbout Citizens Energy Group: Citizens Energy Group provides safe and reliable utility services to about 900,000 people in the Indianapolis area. Citizens operates its utilities for the benefit of customers and the community.\n\nAbout the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration: The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) develops and enforces regulations for the safe, reliable, and environmentally sound operation of the nation's 3.4-million-mile pipeline transportation system and the nearly 1.2 million daily shipments of hazardous materials by land, sea, and air. In 2023, PHMSA announced $196 million in grant funds would be awarded to the first round of recipients in a new Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization (NGDISM) grant program, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.\n\nMedia Contact Information Ben Easley Phone: 317-519-1515 Email: media@citizensenergygroup.com", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://carson.house.gov/media/press-releases/citizens-energy-group-congressman-andre-carson-local-and-national-leaders"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.703144982457161, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}