Briefnow
Mar 11, 2026

House Passes Bill To Speed Federal Permitting For Natural Gas Pipelines

On Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 213 to 184 to approve legislation designed to expedite federal permitting for interstate natural gas pipelines. The legislation would appoint the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as the primary agency for pipeline permitting evaluations.

The legislation would permit FERC to consider water quality evaluations during its environmental review, rather than awaiting independent Clean Water Act certifications from states, as reported by Reuters.

Proponents assert that state-level certifications frequently prolong pipeline approvals for several years. The legislation is named the Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act.It is among various initiatives in Congress designed to expedite federal permitting procedures.

The Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today Act also received bipartisan approval in the House.

Legislators have prioritized extensive permitting reform to enhance energy infrastructure in response to increasing electricity demand.

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