Pipeline Permitting for Energy Security Act of 2022
Key claim: This Senate bill would speed up Clean Water Act certifications, NEPA reviews, and endangered-species consultations for pipelines and specially fast-track approval of the Mountain Valley natural-gas pipeline in Virginia and West Virginia.
Abstract
(S5165 · 117th Congress) Pipeline Permitting for Energy Security Act of 2022 This bill modifies requirements under the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to expedite water quality certifications, environmental reviews, endangered species consultations, and make related changes. The bill also establishes requirements to expedite the approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which is a natural gas pipeline located in Virginia and West Virginia. Latest action (2022-12-01): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Why this matters
The bill is an early, narrowly targeted attempt to shorten federal pipeline permitting — combining across-the-board schedule and scope limits on Clean Water Act §401, NEPA, and ESA reviews with a project-specific fast-track for the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Because it stalled in committee, its direct effect on permitting costs, environmental review depth, and affected watersheds and habitats was zero, but it foreshadowed later successful vehicles (the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act and the OBBBA amendments) that adopted similar streamlining logic and ultimately did clear MVP’s remaining approvals.