US House passes bill to fast-track natural gas pipeline permitting

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WASHINGTON, Dec 12 (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voted 213-184 to pass a bill that aims to speed up federal permitting of interstate natural gas pipelines by designating the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as the lead agency in the process.

The Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act gives the agency the authority to weigh water quality assessments in its environmental review process instead of having to wait for a separate certification under the Clean Water Act from states, which has prolonged the permitting process.

The bill is one of several pieces of legislation aimed at speeding up permitting in Congress. Another bill called Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today also passed with bipartisan support.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

Passing broad permitting reform legislation has become a priority for Congress in the coming year as lawmakers seek to speed up the process to build out energy infrastructure needed to power growing demand for electricity from data centers and to lower household energy costs, which have risen as a consequence.

FERC traditionally has five panel members who are nominated by presidents and approved by the Senate. For years it has approved most of the natural gas pipeline decisions that have come before it. 

KEY QUOTE

“These bills help unlock the infrastructure America needs to meet growing demand for affordable, reliable energy,” American Petroleum Institute President Mike Sommers said in a statement.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Senate is undertaking a separate effort to reform energy permitting which would be broader than the bills that passed in the House.

The Senate is focusing on legislation that would reform the National Environmental Policy Act, the bedrock environmental law, for projects like upgrading electric transmission lines. 

(Reporting by Valerie Volcovici; editing by Paul Simao)