What specific environmental review requirement did FERC eliminate for natural gas projects, and why?

FERC eliminated the requirement to analyze 'cumulative impacts'—an assessment of a project’s environmental effects in combination with past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions—citing the Supreme Court’s 2025 decision in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, which held that federal agencies are not required under NEPA to evaluate impacts of separate or future projects outside their direct jurisdiction; Chair Laura Swett stated this analysis is 'not necessary under law' and wastes time and resources.

How does FERC justify its decision to streamline natural gas permitting, and what broader regulatory shift does it reference?

FERC justifies its decision by asserting it is acting on the Supreme Court’s 2025 ruling and aligning with the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s move to rescind NEPA regulations; Chair Laura Swett called these developments 'a sea change in federal agencies’ NEPA obligations' and said FERC is 'working hard at reforms that will streamline gas permitting.'

US Eases Environmental Reviews For Natural Gas Projects

Jun 18, 2026

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission voted to ease environmental reviews for natural gas projects by removing cumulative impact analyses under NEPA. Chair Laura Swett stated this reform aims to streamline gas permitting following a recent Supreme Court ruling.

bloomberg

2026-06-18

US Eases Environmental Reviews For Natural Gas Projects

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