WASHINGTON, DC - House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders today unveiled a draft of bipartisan legislation to reform the approval process for energy infrastructure projects that cross the borders of the United States. The North American Energy Infrastructure Act, co-sponsored by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Rep. Gene Green (D-TX), would consolidate and modernize the cross-boundary permitting process for oil pipelines, natural gas pipelines, and electric transmission lines, replacing and superseding the current processes that have been created in an ad hoc fashion by multiple Executive Orders.
North America is in the midst of an energy renaissance, and new infrastructure is needed to transport the growing energy supply and ensure consumers have access to affordable and reliable energy. This legislation will bring more certainty to the process for constructing or modifying job-creating energy infrastructure projects with respect to North American border-crossing permitting decisions.
“The goal of North American energy independence is finally within our reach, but our next challenge is building the infrastructure needed to harness this newfound energy abundance," said Upton. “This bipartisan legislation will restore certainty and ensure future cross-border energy projects are reviewed and approved in a reasonable manner so we can move forward and build the architecture of abundance necessary to fulfill our energy future."
“This bill will bring much-needed structure to the cross-border permitting process while also importantly ensuring that these projects still must go through all relevant environmental review before actually being constructed. I am proud to join Chairman Upton in this effort and look forward to swift passage in the House and Senate," said Green.
The Energy and Power Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), will hold a hearing to examine the legislation next Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013, at 10 a.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building.as they are posted.
