SAFER Pipelines Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.2115 | Sponsor: Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie (D-NJ)
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
Safe and Accountable Federal Energy Review for Pipelines Act of 2021 or the SAFER Pipelines Act of 2021
This bill revises the process used by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to review a pipeline expansion project.
Before granting a certificate for a proposed pipeline expansion project, FERC must conduct (1) a full evidentiary hearing on any contested issue of need for the expansion; or (2) a cumulative review of major energy infrastructure projects planned throughout the region of the expansion, their purported purpose and need, and their prospective impacts on state and regional energy goals. In addition, the bill outlines criteria FERC must consider before granting such a certificate.
In addition to existing environmental review requirements, FERC must meet new environmental review requirements for interstate natural gas pipeline projects, including the requirement to consider the cumulative impacts of other natural gas pipeline projects as specified by this bill.
Finally, FERC must monitor approved pipeline projects for five years to ensure that environmental mitigation steps have been implemented.

To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to apply certain 
  procedures before granting a certificate of public convenience and 
   necessity for a proposed pipeline project, 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 ``Safe and Accountable Federal Energy 
Review for Pipelines Act of 2021'' or the ``SAFER Pipelines Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. APPROVAL OF NEW NATURAL GAS PIPELINES.

    Section 7(e) of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717f(e)) is 
amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``Except in the cases''; 
        and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(2) Before granting a certificate for a proposed pipeline 
expansion project, the Commission shall--
            ``(A) conduct--
                    ``(i) a full evidentiary hearing on any contested 
                issue of need for the expansion; or
                    ``(ii) a cumulative review of major energy 
                infrastructure projects planned throughout the region 
                of the expansion, their purported purpose and need, and 
                their prospective impacts on State and regional energy 
                goals; and
            ``(B) consider--
                    ``(i) the existence of underutilized or inefficient 
                use of existing pipeline capacity;
                    ``(ii) the effect of approval on existing customers 
                of other pipelines;
                    ``(iii) an analysis of demonstrated regional needs 
                for the additional natural gas, including consideration 
                of the existence of precedent contracts;
                    ``(iv) consistency with the State's clean power 
                plan, State Implementation Plan, renewable energy 
                goals, and renewable portfolio standard;
                    ``(v) the region's ability to meet any deficiency 
                in energy needs through energy efficiency, dual fuel 
                sources, LNG storage, or other economically viable and 
                less environmentally disruptive measures than pipeline 
                infrastructure; and
                    ``(vi) Federal renewable energy goals.
    ``(3) In the case of an interstate natural gas pipeline project, 
for purposes of the due process requirements of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the 
Commission shall consider, in addition to current requirements for 
environmental impact statements, the cumulative impacts of other 
interstate natural gas pipeline projects located within the same State, 
as well as projects within 100 miles of the project, that are approved, 
filed with the Commission or, in the pre-filing process--
            ``(A) for a 1-year period prior to the filing of the 
        project application with the Commission; and
            ``(B) before the issuance of the draft environmental impact 
        statement.
    ``(4) The Commission shall require all approved and constructed 
natural gas pipeline projects to undertake a five-year monitoring 
program to confirm that the environmental impacts identified in any 
environmental impact statement or analysis conducted with respect to 
the project have been mitigated.''.
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