# H.R. 3668 (119th): Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act

Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act This bill expedites the environmental review of certain natural gas pipeline projects or liquefied natural gas (LNG) import or export terminals for authorizations under the Natural Gas Act. Specifically, the bill makes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) the only lead agency for the purpose of coordinating the environmental review of such projects under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Thus, agencies involved in the environmental review process must defer to FERC's approved scope for a NEPA review. FERC must invite certain federal, state, local, or tribal governmental agencies to participate in the review process for an authorization and designate the applicable governments as participating agencies by deadlines established by the bill. In addition, FERC must consult with the Transportation Security Administration regarding various pipeline security measures. The bill prohibits FERC from establishing a deadline for authorizing a project that is more than 90 days after the completion of the NEPA review. It also requires concurrent reviews when multiple federal or state agencies are involved. Applicants for projects do not have to obtain a water quality certification from states under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. FERC must coordinate its NEPA review with states where a potential discharge into navigable waters may occur. If a federal or state agency requires an applicant for a pipeline authorization to submit data, the agency must consider any such data gathered by aerial or other remote means that is submitted.

## How this bill is scored

Tier: no Tier 1 record. A bill with no record cannot newly become Tier 1.
Lane: clean_water_act. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: energy. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: environmental_review. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: none. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: pipeline_permitting. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Lane: state_authority. Category: not stored. Lane tag: not stored.
Tier 1 sign-off: no record. A bill with no record cannot newly become Tier 1.
Stored polarity: mixed. Only tags the rules mark scoreable on a mixed bill are scored. A yea can draw a penalty or a credit according to the tag. A nay on a tag scored as good can draw a penalty.
Roll 333: On Motion to Recommit. Vote type: recommit.
Roll 334: On Passage. Vote type: final_passage.
Polarity rationale: Reviewed enrichment (llm_import) polarity: This is an ordinary regulatory and energy-permitting measure. It pursues plausible goods such as faster infrastructure decisions, reduced duplicative review, and consolidated coordination. It also raises real concerns about environmental review depth, displacement of state water-quality authority under Section 401, and public input. These are prudential tradeoffs rather than direct advancement or restraint of a named moral harm.
Theological note: This is a prudential question about energy infrastructure, environmental stewardship, and the orderly allocation of governmental authority. Scripture commends diligent stewardship of creation and orderly, accountable government, and it also calls for care for neighbors affected by industrial decisions. The measure raises issues of stewardship, prudent review of environmental impacts, and whether state and local voices are adequately heard. It does not on its face directly advance a named moral evil.

## Recorded votes

Roll 333: On Motion to Recommit. Yea 194 · Nay 204 · Other 34.
Roll 334: On Passage. Yea 213 · Nay 184 · Other 36.

HTML: https://justmeasure.org/bill/hr-3668-119/