Time for a reality check.
Looks like I should have run a wire to the gas meter when I did my latest service change. OK, maybe there's no CSST today - but who can speak to tomorrow? Might as well get it over with.
Case in point: My 1957 house just had the gas line to the water heater (in the carport) rust through. In such a repair, I expect many guys would simply cut the pipe, thread the ends, and use a length of CSST. Remember: they're not allowed to use unions under the house, and taking the line apart from the end is a lot more work!
I can't expect the plumber, or the HVAC guy, or whoever installs an appliance and adds in a length of CSST to also go to the gas meter and trench to the ground rod. (Remember, the ground rod may be completely buried). If they do, they're more likely to bang in one of those little "data" ground rods and never connect it to the existing grounding network at all.
Just run a wire to the intersystem block on the outside of the panel? Yea, right .... to be removed by a copper thief before the serviceman's truck clears the driveway.
No, the gas meter is usually fairly close to the electrical service. I expect the 'practical' thing to do is to extend your GEC (or run an additional GEC) from one of your ground rods to the gas piping. If it's new construction and you're making a UFER, just bond the gas pipe to the rebar.
Infinity, thanks for the link - the artwork was especially nice.
A final note: since lawn mowers and copper thieves both prooved hazardous to exposed GEC's, places began requiring the things to be #4 solid wire, and then wanted them in pipe. That complicates the installation quite a bit.
Looks like I have some digging & bending in my future.