{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://hudson.house.gov/press-releases/rep-hudsons-bill-to-speed-pipeline-approvals-lower-energy-costs-passes-house", "Rep. Hudson\u2019s Bill to Speed Pipeline Approvals, Lower Energy Costs Passes House", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "NC", "Richard Hudson", "H001067", "hudson.house.gov", "hudson", "https://hudson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congressman Richard Hudson's (NC-09) H.R. 3668, the Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act, with a bipartisan vote through the House.\n\nH.R. 3668 modernizes and streamlines the federal permitting process for interstate natural gas pipelines by strengthening the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission\u2019s (FERC) role as the lead agency. This puts state and federal regulators on a single, coordinated timeline, and cuts red tape so critical projects can move forward faster \u2014 helping lower energy costs for families and businesses.\n\n\u201cDelays in the construction of new natural gas pipelines drive up energy prices,\u201d said Rep. Hudson. \u201cMy bill makes long-overdue modernizations to the permitting process by streamlining the regulatory authority of FERC. This makes sure the environment is protected, but no single state can arbitrarily block the construction of new pipelines.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nUnder current law, FERC serves as the lead agency for coordinating environmental reviews and federal authorizations for interstate natural gas pipelines. However, approvals are often delayed by a lack of coordination or inaction among states and other federal agencies, as well as statutory challenges under the Clean Water Act\u2019s Section 401 process.\n\nThe U.S. Energy Information Administration expects natural gas demand to reach an all-time high of more than 107 billion cubic feet per day in 2026, supplying over 40 percent of U.S. electric generation. Between 2013 and 2021, several major pipeline projects were canceled, jeopardizing the energy needs of roughly 25.5 million homes they were planned to serve daily. Without reform, families face higher energy prices and increased risk of shortages, particularly in constrained regions.\n\nABOUT H.R. 3668\n\nH.R. 3668, the Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act:\n\nAffirms FERC as the sole lead agency for coordinating National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews and related federal authorizations for interstate natural gas pipelines under the Natural Gas Act.\n\nRequires participating federal and state agencies to follow schedules set by FERC and conduct their reviews concurrently with FERC\u2019s NEPA process, including acceptance of appropriate remote environmental data.\n\nIncorporates Clean Water Act Section 401 water quality certification into FERC\u2019s NEPA review, including any terms or conditions required to comply with the Clean Water Act, preventing separate, indefinite processes that can delay projects for reasons unrelated to water quality.\n\nRequires FERC to act on certification requests within 90 days after completing NEPA review.\n\nRequires FERC to consult with the Transportation Security Administration regarding pipeline infrastructure and security measures.\n\nEnsures continued compliance with the Clean Water Act and all other environmental protections.\n\nSUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS\n\nThe PAGE Coalition, INCOMPAS, the Natural Gas Council, and leading natural gas and pipeline companies back H.R. 3668. The National Taxpayers Union's support for the bill highlights its role in cutting delays and bringing commonsense permitting reform.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://hudson.house.gov/press-releases/rep-hudsons-bill-to-speed-pipeline-approvals-lower-energy-costs-passes-house"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5111078973859549, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}