Gas
US FERC proposes blanket permit system for LNG facilities
The United States Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has introduced a proposed blanket authorisation framework to streamline approvals for liquefied natural gas infrastructure.
Key points
- FERC issued a unanimously backed Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for LNG sites.
- The framework adapts an existing four-decade-old pipeline certificate programme.
- A three-tiered structure categorises activities by potential impact and notification requirements.
- Stakeholders have 60 days to submit comments following publication in the Federal Register.
What happened
According to Offshore Technology, the United States Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has unveiled a proposed blanket authorisation framework for liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects. Approved unanimously through a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the system aims to remove the necessity for individual regulatory orders under specific sections of the Natural Gas Act.
FERC modelled the new initiative on its established blanket certificate programme for interstate natural gas pipelines, which has functioned for approximately forty years. The draft framework introduces a three-tiered system to categorise project activities based on their expected scale and impact.
Project tiers and conditions
Under the proposed rules, minor tasks that maintain current operating conditions and capacity could receive automatic clearance. Other actions that expand plant capacity within existing boundaries would require a sixty-day prior notice to the commission.
A third category involves a ninety-day advance notification period for building entirely new infrastructure, such as storage tanks, liquefaction trains, and marine loading berths. While these projects may extend past current site perimeters, they remain subject to specific location, type, and scale restrictions.
The draft also incorporates standard engineering and environmental conditions to manage potential project impacts and ensure adherence to legal obligations.
What comes next
FERC chairman Laura Swett stated that the initiative supports national energy infrastructure development while maintaining regulatory safeguards. Interested parties are given sixty days following the publication of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register to provide feedback before the commission finalises the framework.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Gas is the flexible backbone of many grids and the designated transition fuel in many national plans, from LNG trade to domestic LPG and CNG. Supply security and pricing drive both power reliability and emissions.
21.9% of electricity in the world came from gas in 2024Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
