Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) and Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX) led a bipartisan letter to Federal Energy Regulation Commission (FERC) Chairman Richard Glick on FERC’s new policy statements on certificate applications for critical natural gas infrastructure. This letter recognizes the Commission’s recent withdrawal of their interim policy statements for further feedback by stakeholders and applauds their decisions to clarify that new rules will not apply to currently pending projects.

Burgess and Fletcher were joined by Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Congressman David McKinley (R-WV), Congressman Bill Johnson (R-Ohio), Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA), Congressman Marc Veasey (D- TX), Congressman Jake Ellzey (R-TX), Congressman Neal Dunn, M.D. (R-Fla.), Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.), Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-Ind.), Congressman Buddy Carter (R-GA), Congressman Michael Cloud (R-TX), Congresswoman Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.), Congressman Mike Johnson (R-LA).

In the letter the members wrote:
“Natural gas is key to ensuring that the American public has access to reliable and affordable energy. Ensuring the availability of that energy requires a FERC natural gas certificate review process that is clear, consistent, and timely….”

They also wrote:
“FERC has a significant backlog of natural gas project applications that have been awaiting a decision while the Commission has been considering these policy changes, with multiple projects pending for more than two years. We are pleased to see the commission acknowledge this and clarify that new rules will not apply to currently pending projects. Stakeholders should have confidence that when they file a FERC certificate application, it will be reviewed under the same standard that it was filed under.”

Background:
FERC is currently considering changes to its policy statement that outlines how the commission considers whether to approve a pipeline or related gas infrastructure. Multiple court rulings have said that current assessments by the Commission are not robust enough, especially when it comes to evaluations of the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. FERC met in late February and released an update of their 1999 policy statement on the certification of new interstate natural gas facilities to include greater consideration of climate and environmental impacts. After much pushback, the Commission reverted back to its 1999 policy statement and agreed to open the certificate policy statement and interim greenhouse gas policy statement plan to feedback before it is applied to applications.

Read the full letter here.

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