The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission voted March 24 in favor of receiving public comment on two recent policy statements for the certification of interstate natural gas pipelines and greenhouse gas emissions in natural gas project reviews.
The FERC issued two policy statements in February 2022. They issued an update to the 1999 Certificate Policy statement and an interim policy statement on the commission assessment of a project's greenhouse gas emissions impact, according to a March 24 news release.
“The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has on several occasions, including as recently as March 11, cast significant doubt about the approach the commission has been taking to site natural gas pipelines and LNG facilities," Chairman Rich Glick said. "The policy statements were intended to provide a more legally durable framework for the commission to consider proposed natural gas projects."
According to the FERC, both documents will not be applicable to pending projects or filed applications "before the commission issues any final guidance in these dockets."
“However, in light of concerns that the policy statements created further confusion about the commission’s approach to the siting of natural gas projects, the commission decided it would be helpful to gather additional comments from all interested stakeholders, including suggestions for creating greater certainty, before implementing the new policy statements,” Glick said.
The release states that draft policy statements must be submitted by April 25. Reply comments are due by May 25, per the release.
