IB 

Union Calendar No. 192 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1900 

[Report No. 113–269] 

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. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 9, 2013 

Mr. POMPEO (for himself, Mr. MATHESON, Mr. OLSON, Mr. GARDNER, and 

Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio) introduced the following bill; which was referred 

to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

NOVEMBER 18, 2013 

Additional sponsors: Mr. MCKINLEY, Mr. RADEL, Mr. LATTA, Mr. MARINO, 

Mr. COTTON, Mr. HALL, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. MURPHY

of Pennsylvania, Mr. BARTON, Mr. CASSIDY, Mr. TERRY, Mr. HARPER, 

Mr. KLINE, Mr. BARLETTA, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. SESSIONS, and Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina 

NOVEMBER 18, 2013 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 


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•HR 1900 RH

A BILL 

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. 


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•HR 1900 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Natural Gas Pipeline 

5 Permitting Reform Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. REGULATORY APPROVAL OF NATURAL GAS PIPE7 LINE PROJECTS. 

8 Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717f) 

9 is amended by adding at the end the following new sub10 sections: 

11 ‘‘(i) The Commission shall approve or deny a certifi12 cate of public convenience and necessity that is sought 

13 under this Act not later than 12 months after providing 

14 public notice of the application. 

15 ‘‘(j)(1) The agency responsible for issuing any li16 cense, permit, or approval required under Federal law in 

17 connection with the siting, construction, expansion, or op18 eration of any natural gas pipeline project for which a cer19 tificate of public convenience and necessity is sought under 

20 this Act shall approve or deny the issuance of the license, 

21 permit, or approval not later than 90 days after the Com22 mission issues its final environmental document relating 

23 to the project. 

24 ‘‘(2) An agency may request that the Commission ex25 tend the time period under paragraph (1) by 30 days. The 


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1 Commission shall grant such extension if the agency dem2 onstrates that the extension is necessary because of un3 foreseen circumstances beyond the control of the agency. 

4 ‘‘(3) If an agency described in paragraph (1) does 

5 not approve or deny the issuance of the license, permit, 

6 or approval within the time period specified under para7 graph (1) or (2), as applicable, such license, permit, or 

8 approval shall go into effect.’’. 

9 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

10 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Natural Gas Pipeline 

11 Permitting Reform Act’’. 

12 SEC. 2. REGULATORY APPROVAL OF NATURAL GAS PIPE13 LINE PROJECTS. 

14 Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717f) is 

15 amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: 

16 ‘‘(i)(1) The Commission shall approve or deny an ap17 plication for a certificate of public convenience and neces18 sity for a prefiled project not later than 12 months after 

19 receiving a complete application that is ready to be proc20 essed, as defined by the Commission by regulation. 

21 ‘‘(2) The agency responsible for issuing any license, 

22 permit, or approval required under Federal law in connec23 tion with a prefiled project for which a certificate of public 

24 convenience and necessity is sought under this Act shall ap25 prove or deny the issuance of the license, permit, or apVerDate Mar 15 2010 21:25 Nov 18, 2013 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H1900.RH H1900

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1 proval not later than 90 days after the Commission issues 

2 its final environmental document relating to the project. 

3 ‘‘(3) The Commission may extend the time period 

4 under paragraph (2) by 30 days if an agency demonstrates 

5 that it cannot otherwise complete the process required to 

6 approve or deny the license, permit, or approval, and there7 for will be compelled to deny the license, permit, or ap8 proval. In granting an extension under this paragraph, the 

9 Commission may offer technical assistance to the agency 

10 as necessary to address conditions preventing the comple11 tion of the review of the application for the license, permit, 

12 or approval. 

13 ‘‘(4) If an agency described in paragraph (2) does not 

14 approve or deny the issuance of the license, permit, or ap15 proval within the time period specified under paragraph 

16 (2) or (3), as applicable, such license, permit, or approval 

17 shall take effect upon the expiration of 30 days after the 

18 end of such period. The Commission shall incorporate into 

19 the terms of such license, permit, or approval any condi20 tions proffered by the agency described in paragraph (2) 

21 that the Commission does not find are inconsistent with the 

22 final environmental document. 

23 ‘‘(5) For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘prefiled 

24 project’ means a project for the siting, construction, expan25 sion, or operation of a natural gas pipeline with respect 


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1 to which a prefiling docket number has been assigned by 

2 the Commission pursuant to a prefiling process established 

3 by the Commission for the purpose of facilitating the formal 

4 application process for obtaining a certificate of public con5 venience and necessity.’’. 


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Union Calendar No. 192 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1900 

[Report No. 113–269] 

A BILL 

To provide for the timely consideration of all lipipeline projects. tion, expansion, or operation of any natural gas Federal law with respect to the siting, construc- censes, permits, and approvals required under 

NOVEMBER 18, 2013 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS