Pipeline Fairness and Transparency Act
Bill: H.R.8847 | Sponsor: Rep. Griffith, H. Morgan (R-VA)
Policy area: Energy

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.

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.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Pipeline Fairness and Transparency 
Act''.

SEC. 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)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(h) When any holder'' and inserting the 
        following:
    ``(h) Eminent Domain.--
            ``(1) In general.--When any holder'';
            (2) in the second sentence--
                    (A) by striking ``The practice'' and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(2) Practice and procedure.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
                practice'';
                    (B) by striking ``is situated:'' and inserting ``is 
                situated.''; and
                    (C) by striking ``Provided, That the'' and 
                inserting the following:
                    ``(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.''.

SEC. 3. PROCESS COORDINATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.

    Section 15 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717n) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
    ``(g) Environmental Review for Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines.--
            ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Federal authorization.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The term `Federal 
                        authorization' means any authorization required 
                        under Federal law with respect to an 
                        application for a certificate of public 
                        convenience and necessity under section 7.
                            ``(ii) Inclusions.--The term `Federal 
                        authorization' includes any permits, special 
                        use authorizations, certifications, opinions, 
                        or other approvals as may be required under 
                        Federal law with respect to an application for 
                        a certificate of public convenience and 
                        necessity under section 7.
                    ``(B) Project.--The term `project' means a project 
                for the construction or extension of facilities for the 
                transportation in interstate commerce of natural gas 
                that requires Federal authorization.
            ``(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.) with respect to an application for Federal authorization, 
        the Commission shall ensure that any public meeting shall be 
        held--
                    ``(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.''.

SEC. 4. IMPACTS ON CRITICAL NATURAL RESOURCES.

    Subsection (g) of section 15 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 
717n) (as added by section 3) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
            ``(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.) in the environmental impact 
                statement shall--
                            ``(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.) shall be 
                considered, pursuant to an application for Federal 
                authorization, if the result of the amendment would 
                substantially interfere with the nature and purposes of 
                a national scenic trail designated by the National 
                Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241 et seq.).''.
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