Pipeline Fairness and Transparency Act

To amend the Natural Gas Act to bolster fairness and transparency in consideration of interstate natural gas pipelines, to provide for greater public input opportunities, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Pipeline Fairness and Transparency Act 2. Eminent domain (a) Statement of policy It is the policy of the United States to protect the rights of citizens of the United States to their private property, including by limiting the taking of private property by the Federal Government to situations in which the taking is for public use, with just compensation, and to benefit the general public, and not merely to advance the economic interests of private parties that would be given ownership or use of the property taken. (b) Just compensation Section 7(h) of the Natural Gas Act ( 15 U.S.C. 717f(h) (1) by striking (h) When any holder (h) Eminent domain (1) In general When any holder ; (2) in the second sentence— (A) by striking The practice (2) Practice and procedure (A) In general Subject to subparagraph (B), the practice ; (B) by striking is situated: is situated. (C) by striking Provided, (B) Limitation The ; and (3) by adding at the end the following: (3) Just compensation In determining the just compensation for property acquired by the exercise of the right of eminent domain under paragraph (1), in the case of land subject to a conservation easement, the court with jurisdiction over the proceeding shall consider the lost conservation value of that land. . 3. Process coordination for environmental review Section 15 of the Natural Gas Act ( 15 U.S.C. 717n (g) Environmental review for interstate natural gas pipelines (1) Definitions In this subsection: (A) Federal authorization (i) In general The term Federal authorization (ii) Inclusions The term Federal authorization (B) Project The term project (2) Supplemental environmental impact statements (A) In general With respect to an application for Federal authorization, the Commission shall prepare a supplement to a draft environmental impact statement or a final environmental impact statement if— (i) the Commission makes a substantial change in the proposed action that is relevant to environmental concerns; or (ii) there are significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action or its impacts. (B) Mitigation plans If a draft environmental impact statement prepared with respect to an application for Federal authorization does not include information about mitigation plans for adverse impacts that cannot reasonably be avoided, a supplemental environmental impact statement shall be prepared that includes such information. (3) Public meeting requirements In complying with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 ( 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. (A) in each county or equivalent subdivision in which the project will be located; and (B) during each period of public comment following, if applicable, publication of— (i) a draft environmental impact statement; (ii) a final environmental impact statement; and (iii) any supplemental environmental impact statement. . 4. Impacts on critical natural resources Subsection (g) of section 15 of the Natural Gas Act ( 15 U.S.C. 717n (4) National scenic trails (A) In general In preparing an environmental impact statement with respect to an application for Federal authorization for a project, any evaluation of the visual impacts of the project on a national scenic trail designated by the National Trails System Act ( 16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq. (i) consider the cumulative visual impacts of any similar proposed project— (I) for which an application for Federal authorization is in the pre-filing or filing stage; and (II) that impacts the same national scenic trail within 100 miles of the first project; and (ii) include visual impact simulations depicting leaf-on and leaf-off views at each location where major visual impacts occur, as identified, authenticated, and justified during the period of public comment preceding the publication of a draft environmental impact statement by the head of the Federal agency or independent agency administering the land at the applicable location. (B) National forest management plans No amendment to a National Forest management plan under the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 16 U.S.C. 1600 et seq. 16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq. .

Summary: Pipeline Fairness and Transparency Act This bill addresses eminent domain, the environmental review for interstate natural gas pipeline projects, and the visual impacts of natural gas pipeline projects on national scenic trails. Specifically, the bill requires courts, in determining the just compensation for land that is acquired by eminent domain and subject to a conservation easement, to consider the lost conservation value of that land. The bill also revises the process for environmental reviews of natural gas projects. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)must prepare a supplement to a draft or final environmental impact statement if (1)FERC makes a substantial change in the proposed action that is relevant to environmental concerns, or (2) there are significant new circumstances relevant to environmental concerns.FERC must also hold public meetings in each county (or equivalent subdivision) in which a project is to be located. Additionally, in an environmental impact statement, an evaluation of the visual impacts of a project on a national scenic trail must include a cumulative analysis of the visual impacts of the project and similar proposed projects.