FERC Sets a New Path on Gas Pipelines

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission laid out a new policy for reviews of gas pipelines, one that will for the first time consider the real public interest when deciding if this new infrastructure should be approved.

This is the first update of FERC’s gas policy since 1999, the year both SpongeBob SquarePants and the euro debuted.

The following is a statement from Gillian Giannetti, a senior attorney in the Sustainable FERC Project at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):

“FERC is bringing balance to its reviews of new gas pipelines with today's historic decision. 

“For far too long, FERC has allowed private pipeline developers to call the shots, while cutting those affected by the projects out of the process. Communities and landowners will now have a say before new pipelines cut across their land or new compressor stations are built near their homes.

“These are changes both demanded by the courts and long overdue. FERC will now need to follow through and permanently establish a meaningful climate test for pipelines.”

For background, please see NRDC’s filings with FERC about its gas policy: here, here and here.  

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.