Rep. Calvert’s New Bill Would Fast-Track Federal Approval of National Security Pipelines

A new House bill introduced Thursday would allow the president to designate certain interstate oil and natural gas pipelines as critical to national security, triggering expedited FERC reviews and limiting state permitting authority.

“Radical energy policies put in place in Democrat-led states, like California, continue to hurt working families as well as threaten our national security,” said Rep. Calvert. “The National Security Interstate Pipeline Act will ensure California and other states can be connected to energy-producing regions and keep oil and gas flowing to the critical national security facilities that depend on them. We cannot let radical Democrats threaten our national and economic security by cutting off oil and gas through regulatory roadblocks.”

Calvert said key provisions of the bill include:

This builds on, but goes beyond, existing Natural Gas Act (NGA) frameworks for gas pipelines while introducing novel siting authority for oil pipelines.

Refineries shutting down is a real world problem for many industries, businesses and families in California which rely on fuel: the state’s farmers and ranchers, truckers, manufacturers, and many more industries are suffering under the climbing gas and diesel prices, and shortages.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is presiding over perhaps the largest energy policy collapse of the oil industry, refinery operations and gasoline production in U.S. history.

Most California residents know that California’s self-inflected gasoline crisis is not only increasing prices at the pump, but increasing dependency on foreign oil suppliers and shippers to supply fuels to the Golden State. And, California’s self-inflicted gas crisis is also a direct threat to U.S. military force readiness on the West Coast, the Globe reported.

Pipeline and Gas Journal added that the legislation would also preempt state and local permitting requirements that could delay or block designated projects. Any legal challenges filed under the measure would be heard exclusively by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Calvert’s bill ensures fuel for military bases, defense industry, and critical infrastructure amid foreign supply risks or state-level restrictions, and will addresses California’s regulatory roadblocks that isolate high-demand regions from producing areas.

Original co-sponsors include Representatives Vince Fong (CA-20), James Gallagher (CA-1), Darrell Issa (CA-48), Nathaniel Moran (TX-1), Jefferson Shreve (IN-6), Dale Strong (AL-5), and David Valadao (CA-22).