Mar 25, 2015 Natural Gas Council Joint Comments to the Council on Environmental Quality Regarding its Revised Draft Guidance for Federal Departments and Agencies on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Effects of Climate Change in NEPA Reviews
The Natural Gas Council submits these comments in response to the Council on Environmental Quality’s (“CEQ”) revised draft guidance regarding the consideration of greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions and the effects of climate change in federal departmental and agency reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”). The Natural Gas Council collectively represents segments along the entire natural gas value chain that produce, transport, deliver, and use clean, affordable, natural gas throughout the United States. The draft CEQ guidance calls upon over 80 federal agencies and departments to consider GHG and climate impacts analysis as part of any NEPA review required for federal proposed actions and would be applicable to all land and resource management decisions. Natural gas pipeline and related facility projects must undergo NEPA review and, therefore, the Natural Gas Council value chain has a direct interest in the outcome of this proceeding.