Having apparently learned nothing from oil prices skyrocketing out of control, President Biden is now intent on adding even more "climate roadblocks" to upcoming oil and gas projects in the United States.

The administration has "altered the official federal policy on approving new interstate natural gas facilities and pipelines, requiring a climate consideration", according to The Daily Signal. 

Biden's cabinet prompted the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to begin to “undertake a robust consideration” of the environmental impacts of fossil fuel projects seeking approval in the United States.

Meanwhile, oil continues its ascent to $100/barrel. 

The agency said that projects that cause 100,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year will be recognized as having a "significant impact" on the environment. It also said that, during the approval process it may now "consider the eventual emissions caused by both upstream production and eventual burning of gas transported in a pipeline requiring approval."

FERC Chairman Rich Glick commented: “I believe today’s long overdue policy statements are essential to ensuring the Commission’s natural gas siting decisions are reflective of all stakeholder concerns and interests. We have witnessed the impact on pipeline projects when federal agencies, including the Commission, fail to fulfill their statutory responsibilities assessing the potential effects of a project on the environment, landowners and communities.”

As The Daily Signal notes, it is the first time the FERC has updated its natural gas policy since 1999. 

Gillian Giannetti, Natural Resources Defense Council senior attorney, added: “For far too long, FERC has allowed private pipeline developers to call the shots, while cutting those affected by the projects out of the process. Communities and landowners will now have a say before new pipelines cut across their land or new compressor stations are built near their homes.”

But not all Democrats were on board. Senator Joe Manchin commented: “Today’s reckless decision by FERC’s Democratic Commissioners puts the security of our nation at risk. The Commission went too far by prioritizing a political agenda over their main mission—ensuring our nation’s energy reliability and security.”

"The only thing they accomplished today was constructing additional road blocks that further delay building out the energy infrastructure our country desperately needs,” he concluded. 

Poster Comment:

Let's Go Brandon!