I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3548 
To facilitate United States access to North American oil resources, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 2, 2011 
Mr. TERRY (for himself, Mr. UPTON, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. 
LATTA, Mr. MURPHY of Pennsylvania, Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, Mr. 
REHBERG, Mr. BERG, Mr. HARRIS, Mr. PITTS, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. 
SHIMKUS, Mr. SCALISE, Mr. OLSON, Mr. GARDNER, Mr. POMPEO, Mr. 
KINZINGER of Illinois, Mr. BOUSTANY, Mr. GRIMM, Mr. BURGESS, Mr. 
THORNBERRY, Mr. CARTER, Mr. NEUGEBAUER, Ms. GRANGER, Mr. CUL-
BERSON, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. BARLETTA, Mr. MARINO, Mr. 
KELLY, Mr. SCHOCK, Mr. LATOURETTE, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. DAVIS of 
Kentucky, Mr. TURNER of Ohio, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. GIBBS, Mr. MILLER 
of Florida, Mr. FORBES, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. BARTON of Texas, and Mr. 
SHUSTER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on 
Transportation and Infrastructure and Natural Resources, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To facilitate United States access to North American oil 
resources, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘North American En-
ergy Access Act’’. 
SEC. 2. RESTRICTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—No person may construct, oper-
ate, or maintain the oil pipeline and related facilities de-
scribed in subsection (b) except in accordance with a per-
mit issued under this Act. 
(b) PIPELINE.—The pipeline and related facilities re-
ferred to in subsection (a) are those described in the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Keystone XL 
Pipeline Project issued by the Department of State on Au-
gust 26, 2011, including any modified version of that pipe-
line and related facilities. 
SEC. 3. PERMIT. 
(a) ISSUANCE.— 
(1) BY FERC.—The Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission shall, not later than 30 days after re-
ceipt of an application therefor, issue a permit for 
the construction, operation, and maintenance of the 
oil pipeline and related facilities described in section 
2(b), to be implemented in accordance with the 
terms of the Final Environmental Impact Statement 
described in section 2(b). The Commission shall not 
be required to prepare a Record of Decision under 
section 1505.2 of title 40 of the Code of Federal 
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Regulations with respect to issuance of the permit 
provided for in this section. 
(2) ISSUANCE IN ABSENCE OF FERC ACTION.— 
If the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has 
not acted on an application for a permit described 
in paragraph (1) within 30 days after receiving such 
application, the permit shall be deemed to have been 
issued under this Act upon the expiration of such 
30-day period. 
(b) MODIFICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The applicant for or holder 
of a permit described in subsection (a) may make a 
substantial modification to the pipeline route or any 
other term of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement described in section 2(b) only with the 
approval of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commis-
sion. The Commission shall expedite consideration of 
any such modification proposal. 
(2) NEBRASKA
MODIFICATION.—The Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission shall enter into a 
memorandum of understanding with the State of 
Nebraska for an effective and timely review under 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 of 
any modification to the proposed pipeline route in 
Nebraska as proposed by the applicant for the per-
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mit described in subsection (a). Not later than 30 
days after receiving approval of such proposed modi-
fication from the Governor of Nebraska, the Com-
mission shall complete consideration of and approve 
such modification. 
(3) ISSUANCE IN ABSENCE OF FERC ACTION.— 
If the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has 
not acted on an application for approval of a modi-
fication described in paragraph (2) within 30 days 
after receiving such application, such modification 
shall be deemed to have been issued under this Act 
upon expiration of the 30-day period. 
SEC. 4. RELATION TO OTHER LAW. 
(a) GENERAL RULE.—Except as provided in sub-
section (b), a permit issued under this Act shall be the 
sole legal authority required to construct, operate, and 
maintain the pipeline and related facilities described in 
section 2(b) in the United States. 
(b) EXCEPTIONS.—Nothing in this Act shall affect 
the application to the pipeline and related facilities de-
scribed in section 2(b) of— 
(1) chapter 601 of title 49, United States Code; 
or 
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(2) the authority of the Federal Energy Regu-
latory Commission to regulate oil pipeline rates and 
services. 
Æ 
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