Hill Heat

The purpose of the hearing is to review recent actions of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission relating to permitting construction and operation of interstate natural gas pipelines and other natural gas infrastructure projects.

Manchin reaction:

“Today’s (Thursday) reckless decision by FERC’s Democratic Commissioners puts the security of our nation at risk. The commission went too far by prioritizing a political agenda over their main mission — ensuring our nation’s energy reliability and security. The only thing they accomplished today was constructing additional road blocks that further delay building out the energy infrastructure our country desperately needs. Energy independence is our greatest geopolitical and economic tool and we cannot lose sight of that as instability rises around the globe.”

Barrasso reaction:

“President Biden is trumpeting the importance of infrastructure at the same time his appointees are working to kill energy infrastructure. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is determined to make it nearly impossible for Americans to maintain or improve access to abundant and affordable supplies of natural gas. Delaying and then denying approval of natural gas pipelines and storage facilities will only drive up already-inflated energy prices. It also threatens natural gas and electric reliability. This is just the latest attack in Biden’s war on American energy.”

Bill Cassidy (R-La.) reaction:

“Our nation depends on clear-minded, nonpartisan policy, not activists carrying out an ideological and political agenda. Yesterday, FERC said it will defy the Natural Gas Act by no longer considering only whether a project is “needed” when granting new natural gas permits. Rather, they will also consider environmental justice and climate impacts that will be determined behind closed doors. This FERC policy announcement all but guarantees no new natural gas construction permits will be issued this year and amounts to a defacto natural gas export ban. All the while, Europe is dependent on Russian natural gas and we are in the midst of a global energy crisis hurting Americans’ pocketbooks. The vacuum of energy production will be filled by foreign countries with lower environmental standards which will increase global emissions. This administration could not be writing worse energy policy.”

• Richard Glick, Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Biden/Democratic appointee
• James Danly, Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Trump/Republican appointee (dissented)
• Allison Clements, Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Trump/Democratic appointee
• Mark C. Christie, Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Trump/Republican appointee (dissented)
• Willie L. Phillips, Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Biden/Democratic appointee