Thank you Irene Leech for this article! We are nearing the end of the open comment period (July 25) for FERC’s request for comments on the current process it uses to make decisions about natural gas pipelines. There are currently a number of comments on file with a clear divide in the messages: people like us saying the system is broken and we are being ignored, and people who support the industry saying they don’t want change other than to speed up the process to enhance their certainty about the outcome.

This is a critical opportunity to make clear to FERC that as a federal agency it has a duty to respect the law and respect the people of the United States of America. Some of the things people are asking of FERC are:

• Implement a Pipeline Review Process that Prioritizes the Public Interest Over the Goals of the Pipeline Industry.
• Begin the Review and Reform of the Pipeline Review Process with a Series of No Less than Six Public Hearings Held in Affected Communities.
• Mandate a Legitimate Demonstration of “Need” for a Proposed Pipeline/Infrastructure Project that is Verified by Unbiased Experts.
• Stop Issuing Certificates of Public Convenience or Necessity, Notices to Proceed with Any Aspect of Construction, and/or Approval for Exercise of Eminent Domain, Until Such Time as an Infrastructure Project Has Secured All State, Federal and/or Regional Permits, Dockets and/or Approvals.
• End the Use of Tolling Orders.
• Prohibit Conflicts of Interest.
• End the Practice of Using Segmentation.
• Commit to a Full and Fair Implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act.
• End the Practice of Allowing Pipeline Companies to Automatically Secure a 14% Rate of Return on Equity on All New Pipeline Projects.

1. Write your own statement. (By July 25)

Submit even a couple of paragraphs about what you think about the process and suggested changes. More individual comments will send a message of importance. You can get more information about the ways others are responding by reading the two group letters below and even looking at the submissions on the FERC docket (www.ferc.gov; Docket – PL18-1-000).

There is an excellent article, “How would you improve the natural gas pipeline process?” from WV Public Broadcasting that explains the issues, the responses so far, and how to submit your own statement. You can find it at: http://wvpublic.org/post/how-would-you-improve-natural-gas-pipeline-process#stream/0

The article above has information on how to submit comments. ADDRESSES: Comments, identified by docket number, may be filed in the following ways:
• Electronic Filing through http://www.ferc.gov. Documents created electronically using word processing software should be filed in native applications or print-toPDF format and not in a scanned format.
• Mail/Hand Delivery: Those unable to file electronically may mail or hand-deliver Docket No. PL18-1-000 ii comments to: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the Commission, 888 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426.
Instructions: For detailed instructions on submitting comments and additional information on the rulemaking process, see the Comment Procedures Section of this document.

2. Sign two on-line petitions. (By July 24):
3. Appalachian Voices http://appvoices.org/strengthen-ferc-pipeline-review-process/
4. b. VOICES (victory-over-infrackstructure-clean-energy-inStead)  bit.ly/FERCReviewForPublicInterest