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Environmental and community groups are speaking out against proposals to raise gas bills across much of California in order to test a blend of hydrogen with natural gas, thus reducing the use of fossil fuels.

The utilities So Cal Gas, PG&E, Southwest Gas and San Diego Gas and Electric are asking the California Public Utilities Commission to approve a small rate increase to fund pilot projects in Lodi, Orange Cove, Irvine, San Diego and Truckee.

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Rebecca Barker, senior associate attorney for Earthjustice, represents the Sierra Club and said hydrogen blending just extends the life of gas infrastructure, which contributes to climate change.

"Hydrogen blending is a dead-end strategy, because at best, it could reduce those CO2 emissions by less than 7 percent," Barker contended. "If you continue to rely on pipeline gas for those appliances, you would still be generating 93 percent of the climate pollution of regular natural gas, but your fuel will have become a whole lot more expensive."

Barker argued the money would be better spent helping homes and businesses switch to electric appliances, powered by renewable energy. She added hydrogen could weaken the pipes, raising the risk of leakage or explosions, and could increase indoor air pollution. So Cal Gas, on its website, said hydrogen blending supports the state’s climate and clean air goals, and has been used safely in Hawaii.

Barker noted these are the first hydrogen blending projects to be considered by the California Public Utilities Commission.

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"There have been a handful of pilot projects around the world that have tried to explore whether hydrogen blending could be possible without weakening the gas utility systems," Barker pointed out. "We have never seen a pilot that convinced regulators, who are responsible for protecting consumers, that anyone should be paying extra money for a hydrogen blend."

The pilot in the tiny farmworker town of Orange Cove would test the hydrogen-methane blend in the gas lines of 10,000 customers. City leaders have welcomed the project, citing revenue from leasing land to So Cal Gas.

Michael Claiborne, directing attorney for the nonprofit Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, represents a local opposition group called Orange Cove United.

"Folks we've talked to in Orange Cove are most concerned about health risks associated with burning hydrogen indoors, and damage to appliances that were not designed to burn hydrogen," Claiborne explained.

A review of 54 studies on hydrogen heating in the journal Cell Reports Sustainability concluded hydrogen is less efficientand more costly than using electricity to power buildings and homes.