Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act
Latest action · Jan 22, 2015 Received in the Senate.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJan 6, 2015
- Passed HouseJan 21, 2015
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act
Amends the Natural Gas Act to direct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to approve or deny a certificate of public convenience and necessity for a prefiled project within 12 months after receiving a complete application that is ready to be processed.
Defines "prefiled project" as a project for the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of a natural gas pipeline with respect to which a prefiling docket number has been assigned by FERC pursuant to a prefiling process established by FERC for the purpose of facilitating the formal application process for obtaining a certificate of public convenience and necessity.
Requires the agency responsible for issuing any federal license, permit, or approval regarding the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of a project for which a certificate is sought to approve or deny issuance of the certificate within 90 days after FERC issues its final environmental document regarding the project.
Requires FERC to grant an agency request for a 30-day extension of the 90-day time period if the agency demonstrates that it cannot otherwise complete the process required to approve or deny the license, permit, or approval, and therefore will be compelled to deny it.
Authorizes FERC, in granting such an extension, to offer technical assistance to the agency in order to address conditions preventing completion of the application review.
Declares that, if the agency fails to approve or deny issuance of a permit, license, or approval within the prescribed time-frame, the license, permit, or approval shall take effect upon expiration of 30 days after the period's end.
Directs FERC to incorporate into the terms of a license, permit, or approval any conditions proffered by the agency that FERC does not find to be inconsistent with the final environmental document.
Recorded votes 2
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 41 | On Passage | Passed253–169 | Jan 21, 2015 |
| House 40 | On Motion to Recommit with Instructions | Failed182–241 | Jan 21, 2015 |
Cosponsors 33
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jan 6, 2015 to Jan 20, 2015; 4 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-OH | Bill Johnson | Original | Jan 6, 2015 |
| R-NY | Chris Collins | Original | Jan 6, 2015 |
| R-WV | David B. McKinley | Original | Jan 6, 2015 |
| R-TX | Pete Olson | Original | Jan 6, 2015 |
| R-ME | Bruce Poliquin | Jan 8, 2015 | |
| R-TX | Pete Sessions | Jan 8, 2015 | |
| R-NY | Tom Reed | Jan 8, 2015 | |
| R-UT | Chris Stewart | Jan 12, 2015 | |
| R-CA | Doug LaMalfa | Jan 12, 2015 | |
| R-ND | Kevin Cramer | Jan 12, 2015 | |
| R-PA | Tim Murphy | Jan 12, 2015 | |
| R-PA | Tom Marino | Jan 12, 2015 | |
| R-MO | Billy Long | Jan 13, 2015 | |
| R-TX | Blake Farenthold | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-AL | Bradley Byrne | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-TN | Charles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-LA | Charles W. Boustany, Jr. | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-FL | David W. Jolly | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-CO | Doug Lamborn | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-SC | Jeff Duncan | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-MN | John Kline | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-TX | John R. Carter | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-NY | Lee M. Zeldin | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-OK | Markwayne Mullin | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-AZ | Matt Salmon | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-PA | Mike Kelly | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-AZ | Paul A. Gosar | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-NY | Richard L. Hanna | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-OH | Robert E. Latta | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-NC | Robert Pittenger | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-TX | Roger Williams | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-MT | Ryan K. Zinke | Jan 20, 2015 | |
| R-WI | Sean P. Duffy | Jan 20, 2015 |
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Energy and Commerce Committee | Referred Jan 6, 2015 |
| Energy Subcommittee | Referred Jan 9, 2015 |
Actions 15
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Jan 22, 2015Received in the Senate.
- Jan 21, 2015Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 38. (consideration: CR H453-460)
- Jan 21, 2015The rule provides for one hour of debate each on H.R. 161 and H.R. 36. The resolution waives all points of order against consideration of the bills. The resolution provides that the bills shall be considered as read. The resolution waives all points of order against provisions in the bills. The resolution provides one motion to recommit per bill.
- Jan 21, 2015DEBATE - Pursuant to the provsions of H. Res. 38, the House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 161.
- Jan 21, 2015The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H458)
In the Congressional Record 4
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extensions | Debate and remarks E148 | Chris Van Hollen D-MD | Feb 2, 2015 |
| House | Debate and remarks H484 | Virginia Foxx R-NC | Jan 22, 2015 |
| House | Debate and remarks H443–H453, H453–H460Text printed H443, H453Amendments H451Motions H458Recorded votes H452, H459consideration (H. Res. 38), previous questionPallone motion to recommit (ensure taxpayers are not held liable and pipeline owners bear full responsibility for any repair or damages resulting from a pipeline explosion) | Bruce Poliquin R-ME, Carolyn B. Maloney D-NY, Ed Whitfield R-KY, Frank Pallone, Jr. D-NJ (motion), Fred Upton R-MI, Gene Green D-TX, James P. McGovern D-MA (amendment), John P. Sarbanes D-MD, Mike Pompeo R-KS, Niki Tsongas D-MA, Pete Aguilar D-CA, Richard L. Hanna R-NY, Theodore E. Deutch D-FL, Virginia Foxx R-NC | Jan 21, 2015 |
| House | Declaratory Statements H432 | — | Jan 20, 2015 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 161, no. 1, January 6, 2015, page H48.
Printed hearings 2
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serial No. 114-40 | DISCUSSION DRAFTS ADDRESSING HYDROPOWER REGULATORY MODERNIZATION AND FERC PROCESS COORDINATION UNDER THE NATURAL GAS ACT180 pages | Energy and Commerce Committee | May 13, 2015 |
| Serial No. 114-3 | HOW THE CHANGING ENERGY MARKETS WILL AFFECT U.S. TRANSPORTATION154 pages | Transportation and Infrastructure Committee | Feb 3, 2015 |
CRS reports 4
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 4
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| R43313 | Mexico’s Oil and Gas Sector: Background, Reform Efforts, and Implications for the United States Archived | Report | Sep 28, 2015 |
| R44090 | Life-Cycle Greenhouse Gas Assessment of Coal and Natural Gas in the Power Sector Archived | Report | Jun 26, 2015 |
| R42074 | U.S. Natural Gas Exports: New Opportunities, Uncertain Outcomes Archived | Report | Jan 28, 2015 |
| R43138 | Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines: Process and Timing of FERC Permit Application Review Archived | Report | Jan 16, 2015 |
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
Titles 3
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To provide for the timely consideration of all licenses, permits, and approvals required under Federal law with respect to the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of any natural gas pipeline projects.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act
- Short Titles as Passed House
- Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Energy.
Text 3
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Jan 22, 2015Received in Senate
- Jan 21, 2015Engrossed in House
- Jan 6, 2015Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
