FERC Approves Multiple Fossil Fuel Projects

October 23, 2023

Last week, much to the eco-left’s dismay, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved several fossil fuel projects. It was refreshing to see bi-partisan support for energy projects from the FERC commissioners. The projects ranged from expanding pipelines to LNG manufacturing in Louisiana. 

E&E News reports, 

“The $335 million Gas Transmission Northwest XPress Project from TC Energy was one of several natural gas projects approved by FERC at its monthly meeting. Commissioners also advanced the Plaquemines LNG terminal project in Louisiana, as well as a new rule to protect grid reliability amid an influx of renewable resources. The gas project known as GTN Xpress would expand an existing pipeline system in parts of Idaho, Washington state and Oregon to export natural gas from British Columbia, increasing the system’s capacity by 150 million cubic feet of gas per day. “

Even though projects like the XPress project were approved by all commissioners, they received intense backlash from congressional leaders,

“Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said in an interview that the GTN Xpress decision showed that FERC was a “completely captured agency” that is “one huge rubber stamp” for fossil fuel projects. Merkley said he intends to hold conversations in Congress about changing FERC, which is an independent commission whose members are appointed by presidents and confirmed by senators. “I think they need to be scrapped so we can start over with an agency that actually exists in sync with our need to take on climate change,” Merkley said. “If our national policy is that we are going to take on climate change, we have to dump an agency that greenlights fossil fuel project after fossil fuel project.”’

For a Senator to threaten the commissioners’ jobs because they decided to approve projects that will help Americans as our energy needs increase is entirely inappropriate. These pipelines and approval for the LNG project in Louisiana will increase domestic energy production and supply, boosting our energy security.