In committee
Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act
This bill streamlines the approval process for interstate natural gas pipelines and export facilities by making the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the sole authority over environmental reviews. It reduces the power of states and local governments to delay or block projects by eliminating their ability to deny Clean Water Act permits, leaving water rules up to federal regulators instead. The measure also sets strict deadlines requiring all related permits to be finished within 90 days of the main environmental review and allows energy companies to pay outside contractors to help process their applications.
People affected—not determinable from the text provided; the bill specifies procedural and jurisdictional mandates for regulatory agencies and project applicants rather than naming or enumerating an affected population.
Fiscal magnitude—not determinable from the text provided; the operative text establishes regulatory timelines and procedural requirements but authorizes no specific appropriations, fees, or funding amounts.
Reach58provisional · pending reviewrigor: heuristic llm
What this bill touches.
Pollution & development−55Federal vs. state/local+60Energy sources−35Regulation (cross-sector)−30
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- natural gas project applicantsExempts natural gas project applicants from obtaining state Clean Water Act Section 401 water quality certifications, sets a 90-day cap for other agencies to issue permits after environmental reviews, requires concurrent agency reviews, and allows applicants to submit remote survey data for conditional approvals (Sec. 2(e)(1), Sec. 2(f)(1)-(2), Sec. 2(g)(2)).
Who it burdens
- federal and state permitting agenciesMust defer to FERC's NEPA review scope, conduct reviews concurrently with FERC, determine if applications are ready within 30 days, file progress reports every 90 days, complete authorizations within 90 days of FERC's review, and accept aerial or remote survey data (Sec. 2(c), Sec. 2(f)(1)-(2), Sec. 2(g)(2)). Non-participating agencies are barred from conducting separate NEPA reviews or having their comments included in the record (Sec. 2(d)(4)).
- Federal Energy Regulatory CommissionMust identify and invite participating agencies within 30 to 60 days of application receipt, maintain an online tracking dashboard with schedules and points of contact for all required authorizations, and consult with TSA regarding pipeline physical security and cybersecurity compliance (Sec. 2(d)(1)-(3), Sec. 2(h), Sec. 2(i)).
- heads of relevant federal permitting agenciesMust notify Congress and FERC within five days if their agency or an overseen delegated state agency misses a scheduled permit deadline, including a recommended implementation plan to complete the action (Sec. 2(f)(3)).
Who opposes it
- state water pollution control agenciesEliminates their authority under Clean Water Act Section 401 to grant, condition, or deny water quality certifications for natural gas projects, demoting their role to proposing conditions that FERC may reject unless FERC finds them necessary under federal law (Sec. 2(e)(1), Sec. 2(e)(3)-(4)).