Court Rejects FERC’s Gas Pipeline Approval for Failing to Consider Emissions

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has rejected the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval of the Southeast Market Pipelines Project – a three-part interstate pipeline – over concerns of inadequate review of greenhouse gas emissions. The decision comes while the Trump administration strives to streamline infrastructure permitting, and could broaden the scope of environmental reviews required under the National Environmental Policy Act for pipeline projects and other energy infrastructure.