Duckworth, Durbin, Casten, McClellan Introduce Legislation to Mitigate Negative Impacts of Natural Gas Pipelines

Duckworth, Durbin, Casten, McClellan Introduce Legislation to Mitigate Negative Impacts of Natural Gas Pipelines

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), both members of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, and U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (D-IL-06) and Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04) introduced the FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act of 2025, legislation to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to assess and mitigate the impacts that natural gas pipelines approved by FERC under the Natural Gas Act (NGA) will have on climate change and Environmental Justice communities.

"As extreme weather events become more frequent, we can't afford to ignore the climate crisis and the harm it's inflicting on families across our country," said Duckworth. "Every American deserves to breathe clean air, drink safe water and live, work and play on uncontaminated land, and we have a responsibility to confront the environmental injustices that far too often fall on low-income communities and communities of color. I'm proud to help introduce this legislation that would curb the climate impact of natural gas pipelines and better protect the vulnerable families who live near them."

"Across the country, we are seeing rising temperatures and more frequent natural disasters-a clear sign that we are facing a serious climate crisis. If we hope to mitigate this crisis and protect our most vulnerable communities, we must evaluate the climate impacts of new natural gas pipelines before we build them," Durbin said. "Enacting the FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act will protect the communities most impacted by climate change and climate pollution while ensuring access to safe and affordable energy."

"For too long, we have placed the interests of energy producers above all else in setting our energy policy, including when deciding whether to permit a new natural gas pipeline," said Casten. "It's past time we put the national interest first. I'm proud to introduce this legislation that would require FERC to consider the potential impacts on climate change, Environmental Justice communities, energy affordability, and reliability before approving a new natural gas pipeline."

"As we work to meet our growing energy demands with new technologies, we must consider the long-term impacts of those projects on surrounding communities and our environment," said McClellan. "Too often, natural gas pipelines jeopardize the health and well-being of vulnerable communities, especially low-income communities and communities of color. The FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act implements common-sense requirements to ensure FERC identifies and considers the wide-ranging potential impacts of these projects. This bill represents another important step in our efforts to improve energy affordability and advance environmental justice."

"This legislation is a critical step forward in ensuring that FERC fully accounts for and addresses greenhouse gas emissions and environmental justice impacts of energy projects under the Natural Gas Act," said Anastasia Gordan, Federal Policy Director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice. "The Biden Administration's LNG study gave us a clear picture of the harms these projects impose on public health, on our climate, and on family budgets, and the courts have repeatedly called on the Commission to do the same. For decades, fossil fuel infrastructure has disproportionately burdened frontline communities, and clarifying FERC's authority is essential to protecting all people, especially those who have borne the brunt of pollution and disinvestment. We applaud this effort to put equity, accountability, and climate responsibility at the center of energy decision-making."

In 2022, FERC, under then-Chairman Richard Glick, issued a draft Policy Statement to clarify how the Commission would take into account a natural gas pipeline's impacts on climate change and Environmental Justice communities. The draft statement was terminated earlier this year. The FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act is intended to codify the kind of analysis called for under the draft policy statement.

In particular, the legislation would amend the NGA to require FERC to determine, among other things, whether a proposed pipeline's impacts on climate change and environmental justice communities are significant, if the impacts can be mitigated, and whether the proposed pipeline would ensure energy reliability and affordability. The bill further establishes what FERC should consider when making these determinations.

Joining Duckworth and Durbin in introducing the legislation in the Senate are U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Edward Markey (D-MA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ).

The Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice endorse the legislation.

Text of the legislation can be found on Senator Duckworth's website.

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