The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has proposed a blanket authorisation programme for LNG infrastructure, seeking to shorten permitting procedures for eligible work at LNG facilities. LNG Prime reported that the regulator announced the proposal on Thursday, presenting it as a way to accelerate infrastructure development and give developers greater certainty over regulatory requirements.
Under the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, qualifying activities could proceed without separate, project-specific authorisation orders under Sections 3 and 7 of the Natural Gas Act. The proposal draws on FERC’s blanket certificate programme for interstate natural gas pipelines, which has been in place for 40 years. The LNG measure remains a proposed framework rather than an authorisation system already in operation.
FERC envisages three routes: automatic authorisation, a 60-day prior-notice process and a 90-day prior-notice process. According to LNG Prime, some activities would be allowed to proceed automatically, accompanied by periodic reporting, while others would need to be notified to the commission in advance. The structure would therefore distinguish between work eligible for automatic approval and activities requiring an advance-notice period.
The scope described in the proposal covers work that would leave a plant’s authorised capacity unchanged, as well as activities that could raise capacity while staying within the existing facility footprint. It also includes construction of new LNG infrastructure, with liquefaction trains, storage tanks and marine berths among the examples identified. Alongside the authorisation routes, FERC is proposing standard environmental and engineering design conditions to address potential project impacts, together with requirements intended to maintain compliance with applicable laws.
FERC chairman Laura V. Swett linked the initiative to the administration’s energy dominance objectives, arguing that necessary infrastructure should be built and maintained without avoidable delays. She also presented regulatory safeguards as part of the proposed approach. In comments reported by LNG Prime, Swett said consumers would benefit from additional infrastructure that supports dependable and affordable energy.