The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission reversed course on policies regarding natural gas projects, including a system for estimating how pipelines and related facilities affect the environment.
Many of the changes in policy are reversions back to old policy, E&E News reported.
"I'm all for providing further clarity, not only for industry but all stakeholders in our proceedings, including landowners and affected communities," FERC Chair Richard Glick said at a FERC meeting.
Gas industry officials also praised the new policies, E&E News reported.
"It is encouraging that FERC suspended the 2022 Policy Statements and has decided seek comments from stakeholders on its new policies," Jake Rubin, a spokesperson for the American Gas Association, said in a statement. "AGA hopes the Commission will address the concerns that we have raised about the new policies."
U.S. senators from both parties spoke highly of the new policies as well, E&E News reported.
"Today's action is an acknowledgement of the damage these statements would have done if left in place," Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) said in a statement. "FERC must go back to the drawing board and start over on these harmful proposals."
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, expressed similar sentiments, E&E News reported.
"Today's unanimous vote during FERC's open meeting was a course-correction from their previous partisanship and I appreciate their willingness to address the significant concerns raised by many members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee," Senator Manchin said in a statement.
