Sens. Kaine, Warner introduce bill to enhance transparency of FERC pipeline process
U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA) recently introduced legislation aimed at enhancing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) public input process.
U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) will introduce similar legislation in the House.
This bill is designed to enable public input related to eminent domain and clarify the scope of federal eminent domain authority. It would also require public comment meetings be held at every stage of the review process in every locality a pipeline would pass through.
The bill is based on input Kaine and Warner received during FERC’s review process for the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) and Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP).
“I’ve heard from many Virginians with concerns about the complicated and cumbersome FERC public engagement process, and it’s clear to me that the current process needs to be made a lot more accessible and transparent,” Warner said. “Public participation in an agency’s public proceedings is one of the cornerstones of our democratic process, and our bill sets up a system that ensures that every resident in every locality within the path of a proposed pipeline has a say at each step of the way.”
The bill also includes protections for National Scenic Trails, such as the Appalachian Trail.
“This legislation is a big step in the permitting process for new interstate natural gas pipelines as it assures that the public has access to complete information on siting decisions,” Ron Tipton, president and CEO of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, said. “Moreover, the legislation provides improved direction to federal regulators in their decision-making regarding national scenic trails like the 2,189-mile Appalachian Trail and other public and private lands.”
