I find it frustrating and more than a bit ironic that many of us live in the middle of the Marcellus natural gas boom but cannot heat or cook with natural gas.

I live on a dirt road and the residential gas line stops about two miles away. Twelve years ago the gas company wanted $53,000 to run the line to my house. Any residents who chose to tie in would be prorated accordingly. I contacted them (UGI) again recently and was told that it would probably cost in excess of $80,000! They were happy to come out and provide a formal quotation. That kind of money buys a lot of wood, coal, oil, electricity, and propane.

I understand that residential natural gas is not an entitlement and that UGI is running a business to make money. I would love to get away from oil but it doesn't look like it will happen in my lifetime.