Boomer Consumer Proposed settlement with Northwest Natural Gas reached with UTC staff By Rita R. Robison on July 27, 2021 at 4:44 PM The staff of the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission announced a multi-party agreement Tuesday to settle a request from Northwest Natural Gas to increase natural gas rates in Washington. The three-member commission, which isn’t bound by the agreement, will make a final decision on the utility’s revenue-increase request this fall. A virtual public hearing is scheduled Aug. 19 for customers to comment on the agreements. The multi-year settlement calls for new rates to begin this year on Nov. 1, then increase again on Nov. 1, 2022.