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On February 17, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) announced two new, significant policies that may have a profound impact on both natural gas pipeline projects before the Commission and the industry in general. Headlining these policies is FERC’s new interim greenhouse gas (GHG) policy statement (Interim GHG Policy Statement), pursuant to which FERC will presume any gas project with 100,000 metric tons per year of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) emissions to have a significant impact on climate change and will trigger the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Notwithstanding the interim nature of FERC’s new Interim GHG Policy Statement – where FERC is accepting comments by April 4, 2022 – FERC clarified that it will apply both policies to all pending and new project applications, effective immediately.
Continue Reading FERC Overhauls Existing Pipeline Project Analysis, Creates Separate Interim GHG Policy for Gas Infrastructure Projects

The Government Accountability Office (GAO), an agency that conducts audits, evaluations, and investigations for the United States Congress, issued a report titled “Natural Gas Exports: Updated Guidance and Regulations Could Improve Facility Permitting Processes.” The report examines several aspects of federal agencies’ regulation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities, but of most relevance to LNG operators is the finding that the technical standards that the primary regulators of LNG facilities incorporate into their rules are out of date.
Continue Reading GAO Calls on PHMSA to Update LNG Regulations

On June 9, 2020, FERC ordered amendments to its regulations to prohibit natural gas projects authorized under Sections 3 and 7 of the Natural Gas Act (“NGA”) from commencing construction activities until after (i) the deadline for filing a request for rehearing has lapsed without a request being filed, or (ii) FERC has acted upon the merits of any timely-filed request for rehearing (“Order No. 871”). The new regulation will become effective, without any opportunity to file comments, 30 days after the Final Rule is published in the Federal Register. Because FERC’s orders on rehearing sometimes take several months, and in some cases more than a year to be issued, both liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) and natural gas pipeline projects approved by FERC could be significantly delayed from commencing construction as a result of Order No. 871.
Continue Reading FERC to Block LNG, Pipeline Project Construction Until After Rehearing Process is Complete

The United States Department of Transportation (“DOT”), Office of the Inspector General (“OIG”) recently issued its audit findings of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (“PHMSA’s”) procedures and standards for reviewing whether liquified natural gas (“LNG”) facilities meet federal safety standards. The audit was designed to assess PHMSA’s (1) review of proposed LNG facilities, (2) inspection of existing LNG facilities, and (3) evaluation of state gas programs that are tasked with inspecting LNG facilities. While the OIG found that PHMSA’s inspection of existing interstate LNG facilities met agency standards, the audit identified several deficiencies with PHMSA’s siting of proposed LNG facilities and its review processes of state programs. This report comes as PHMSA’s proposed overhaul of its Part 193 LNG safety regulations moves toward publication.
Continue Reading OIG Critical of PHMSA LNG Reviews

Over the past week and in just the last 24 hours, several federal and state agencies have issued guidance documents and orders impacting the oil and gas pipeline industry. Through this guidance and other orders, federal and state governments are recognizing the oil and gas industry as critical to responding to COVID-19, while at the same time providing for some flexibility in the likelihood that operators will face resource and staffing constraints in executing their pipeline safety compliance obligations.
Continue Reading COVID-19 Oil and Gas Update – Agencies Provide Limited Enforcement Discretion and Confirm Infrastructure as Essential

The coronavirus is causing marked disruption in the U.S., with increasing impacts across the country. Pipeline, terminal and LNG facilities are no exception, and many operators have been reviewing or implementing their contingency and emergency response plans. The current situation falls outside of most existing plans, however. With staffing concerns, travel limitations and other unforeseen issues, we expect operators will be presented with some challenges in the coming weeks in meeting all pipeline and LNG safety legal requirements. For example, we expect there may be issues with maintaining sufficient adequately trained and qualified staff for control rooms or field positions responsible for inspection and maintenance.
Continue Reading Oil and Gas Preparedness and Contingency Planning in the Wake of COVID-19

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently finalized an Annex to a longstanding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding pipeline safety and security. This Annex comes just weeks after a publicized natural gas pipeline cybersecurity intrusion and responds to several recommendations from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) discussed in our earlier alert to update the prior Annex which had not been reviewed or revised since its inception over 14 years ago. The updated Annex emphasizes information-sharing and coordination between the agencies and signals that the agencies are moving forward on satisfying outstanding GAO recommendations. While this is a step in the right direction, questions remain whether TSA is the appropriate agency to oversee pipeline security and whether existing voluntary standards should be mandatory.
Continue Reading As Cyberthreats Continue, PHMSA and TSA MOU Stresses Information Sharing and Coordination

Both the Senate and the House now have bills in varying stages of review for reauthorization of the Pipeline Safety Act, which expires at the end of September.  There are some notable differences in the bills, reflecting the Democratic majority in the House and the Republican majority in the Senate.  Neither bill has been put before the entire chamber for a vote.  If they do progress further, it remains to be seen how the bills will ultimately be reconciled.
Continue Reading Pipeline Safety Act Reauthorization: Issues for Resolution

The Executive Order (EO) “Promoting Energy Infrastructure and Economic Growth,” issued by the White House on April 10, 2019 has primarily been heralded as an effort to prevent states from blocking pipelines under their Clean Water Act Section 401 certification authority. President Trump addressed a number of other energy issues in the same Executive Order, however, all attempting to remove barriers to energy projects in the U.S. As summarized below, these include a call for updating regulations governing LNG facility safety regulations, addressing sunset provisions in agreements for energy infrastructure on federal lands, and requesting reports assessing impediments to fuel supply in New England and export efforts in West Coast, and ways to promote economic growth in Appalachia.
Continue Reading Recent Executive Order Extends Beyond Section 401 Water Quality Certifications

The Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General within the (DOT OIG) announced recently that it will audit oversight of liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).  DOT OIG notes that the “self-initiated” audit will assess PHMSA’s oversight of LNG facility compliance with federal regulations.  The OIG noted…