Natural gas projects would get stricter reviews for climate and community impacts.
This bill would require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to explicitly assess how new natural gas projects affect climate change and local communities. This includes communities already facing pollution. Companies building these projects would need to propose ways to lessen these impacts. FERC would also have to explain decisions where significant harm isn't fully addressed.
Currently, the Natural Gas Act requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to determine if a proposed natural gas project is needed for public convenience. However, it does not explicitly require specific assessments or mitigation for climate change impacts or effects on environmental justice communities. If this bill becomes law, FERC would be explicitly required to assess and mitigate environmental effects. This includes quantifying greenhouse gas emissions and evaluating impacts on environmental justice communities. These assessments would happen when FERC makes decisions. The bill would also establish specific thresholds and justification requirements for these assessments. For example, it would presume a significant climate effect for projects with at least 100,000 metric tons per year of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
S 3324 · 119th Congress · December 3, 2025 · AI Summary by gemini-2.5-flash · 7/10
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