Natural gas prices to pinch over winter

Relying too heavily on domestic sources of Natural Gas, Californians will have a harder time heating their homes this winter.

Northern Californians face a double punch to their budgets this fall and winter as damage caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita threatens to keep gasoline near $3 a gallon and send winter heating bills soaring.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co., the primary supplier of natural gas in Northern and Central California, estimates that pinched supplies - largely from the Gulf Coast - will cause natural gas bills here to rise 40 percent to 50 percent this winter compared with last.

Sounds like we need some LNG!