Thousands of Comments Call on FERC to Reconsider Proposed Expansion of Blanket Certificate Program

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has proposed expanding its "blanket certificate" program, which lets gas pipeline companies get automatic approval for projects without the usual environmental review or public input. The change would raise the automatic-approval cost limit from $14.5 million to $30 million, and a related "prior notice" cap from $41 million to $86 million. That means larger pipeline and gas infrastructure projects could move forward with less oversight and less chance for nearby communities to weigh in. Sierra Club submitted more than 3,000 comments opposing the plan.

The concern is tied to a real case: a proposed pipeline in New Mexico, called the Green Chile Pipeline, that would supply a large data center near Las Cruces. Under current rules, that project had to go through full environmental review after Sierra Club and other groups challenged it. Under the proposed higher thresholds, a similar project might not face that same scrutiny in the future. FERC has also said it will stop doing "cumulative impact" analyses, which look at the combined effect of multiple projects in an area, on top of this proposed change.

This is a federal regulatory matter, not something that directly changes rebates or upgrade programs for your home. But it's a sign of looser oversight for gas infrastructure generally, which matters if you live near a proposed pipeline or gas facility, or if you're weighing gas versus electric options for your own home's energy future.