Southern California Gas Co. is constructing an 8 inch pipeline in collaboration with CR&R Environmental that will carry carbon-neutral renewable natural gas to its distribution system for the first time.

The pipeline will span approximately 1.4 miles, connecting an existing SoCalGas line to a new CR&R anaerobic digestion facility in Perris, Calif., according to a Jan. 31 news release. Construction is expected to be completed in spring. Renewable natural gas from the facility would be used to power about 900 trucks for CR&R, a waste management company that is funding the pipeline.

SoCalGas, a utility subsidiary of Sempra Energy, expects to bring renewable gas from the facility to its pipelines by June.

"Bringing renewable gas into our pipeline system is a big step forward for SoCalGas and for California," said Lisa Alexander, SoCalGas' vice president for customer solutions and communications. "Using our pipeline infrastructure to distribute this carbon-neutral fuel will help to slow climate change and meet state goals for increasing use of renewable fuels. We see this de-carbonization of our pipeline system as the way of the future."