House Votes to Limit States’ Power to Block Pipelines
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The House voted Thursday to curb states’ authority to block pipelines, part of a renewed Republican push to overhaul the federal permitting process for energy and other major projects.Author of the article:You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.(Bloomberg) — The House voted Thursday to curb states’ authority to block pipelines, part of a renewed Republican push to overhaul the federal permitting process for energy and other major projects.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.The PERMIT Act, which passed by a vote of 221 to 205, targets a provision of the more-than-50-year-old Clean Water Act that governors in Northeastern states have used to halt pipelines they view as threats to water supplies and the environment. Regulators have invoked the law to block projects by Williams Cos., Kinder Morgan Inc., and Millennium Pipeline Co. LLC, preventing shale gas from Pennsylvania and Ohio from reaching consumers in New York and other cities.The legislation would also add new limits on environmental suits and restrict the EPA’s ability to veto Army Corps of Engineers water permits, making it more difficult for states to reject pipeline and related projects on Clean Water Act grounds, according to a summary of the bill by Bloomberg Government. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Lawmakers could fold the bill into broader efforts to revamp the federal permitting system, though its prospects in the Senate remain uncertain, where Democratic votes will be essential.The House is expected to vote as soon as next week on another permitting bill that would expedite agency environmental reviews by reshaping the 1970 National Environmental Policy Act — a law environmental groups consider sacrosanct and critics say has contributed to years of delays for some energy projects. That measure, known as the SPEED Act, includes language intended to make it harder for a president to cancel energy-project permits, an attempt to draw Democratic support. The provision has sparked opposition from some hardline Republicans.The revived push comes as energy companies warn that lengthy permitting timelines for solar projects, oil development and transmission lines threaten future investment, yet a bipartisan deal to address the bottlenecks has remained elusive. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4© 2025 Financial Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited.This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.You can manage saved articles in your account.and save up to 100 articles!You can manage your saved articles in your account and clicking the X located at the bottom right of the article.