Energy Bill Could Shunt Cross-Border Pipeline Approvals to FERC

A draft bill that would give FERC authority over oil pipelines that cross international borders may be central to a new energy package, Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), vice chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, told reporters May 3 on the sidelines of a hearing on that bill.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission would replace the State Department in the presidential permit process for pipeline projects straddling the Canadian and Mexico borders, which critics say is fertile ground for political influence and prone to drawn-out approval processes. FERC would have 120 days to approve a pipeline ...