NEPA Review Process: Barrasso Questions DoE Nominees on 'Unreasonably Burdensome' Regulations

Supreme Court Ruling on NEPA

• 🏛️ The Supreme Court issued an 8-0 ruling stating that environmental permitting reviews have become "unreasonably burdensome."
• 📜 Justice Kavanaugh clarified that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is intended as a "procedural cross-check" to inform agency decisions, not a "substantive roadblock."

Impact on FERC Project Reviews

• 💡 Nominee Miss Swed acknowledges that the regulatory process can be difficult and create uncertainty for infrastructure developers.
• 🎯 She believes the Seven County decision will significantly narrow the scope of environmental review required under NEPA.
• ✅ If confirmed, she aims to examine FERC's processes for efficiencies and transparency for the industry and the public.

FERC's Role in Reliability and Affordability

• ⚡ Nominee Mr. Lur emphasizes that reliability and affordability are bedrock principles of FERC's work.
• ❓ He would ask two key questions for every action: Does it make the grid more reliable? Does it make it more affordable? If not, why undertake it?
• 📈 The commission's decisions directly impact Americans' ability to reliably access energy.

Meeting Growing Energy Demand

• 💡 Miss Swed expresses concern about meeting future energy demand, driven by growth in AI, data centers, and electrification.
• ⚠️ She notes that peak demand is expected to increase significantly, equivalent to adding an entire new California to the grid.
• 🔌 If confirmed, she would focus on ensuring a plentiful supply of energy at just and reasonable rates, considering specific market characteristics and grid interconnections.