Amy Andryszak. Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photo: Interstate Natural Gas Association of America
Natural gas advocates are pressing Congress to tee up a permitting overhaul by year's end to prepare for an expected wave of pipeline approvals starting in 2026.
Why it matters: The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America's clout — and early interest from congressional leaders — suggests a glide path later this session for a Republican-led permitting deal.
- Even with President Trump's backing of fossil fuel expansion, INGAA wants Congress to make more lasting changes, said Amy Andryszak, the group's CEO.
Driving the news: INGAA — an influential group of some of the biggest pipeline companies — recently wrote a letter requesting that Senate EPW advance legislation that would make statutory changes to NEPA and Clean Water Act reviews that have stymied numerous pipeline projects.
- The group also seeks limits on judicial review so projects aren't tied up in "frivolous and prolonged litigation."
- Group members met last week with House E&C Chair Brett Guthrie, who wrote an op-ed calling for changes to permit more gas infrastructure as a response to soaring AI energy demand.
The group is targeting the fourth quarter for a deal to materialize, Andryszak said: "The first part of next year is really a sweet spot to probably get something done."
Between the lines: The group has alerted FERC that the industry plans to file fresh applications for new pipeline projects, said Mike McMahon, INGAA's chair and an executive at Boardwalk Pipelines.
- Those projects could go through FERC for approval next year or beyond.
- McMahon compared the expected volume to 20 years ago, when FERC approved 84 pipelines from 2001 to 2004. (It approved 44 projects from 2021 to 2024.)
Zoom out: Trump's interest in reviving long-scrapped fossil fuel pipeline projects — like the Constitution Pipeline in the Northeast — will pay off only with permitting overhauls, INGAA officials said.
- "Until you fix the Clean Water Act, I think it's going to be difficult to get a new pipe built in New York because they can effectively block the project," McMahon said.
- The threat of DOGE-driven staffing cuts — particularly at FERC and the Army Corps — undermines the administration's goal of faster permitting, McMahon said.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito's ascendancy to EPW chair marks a positive change toward crafting a permitting bill, Andryszak said.
- Capito "will have the power of the pen on a permitting reform bill, and it's something she seems interested in," she said.
- Permitting legislation died in the final hours of the last session amid disagreements over environmental review changes, with then-EPW Chair Tom Carper storming out of a late-stage meeting.
Our thought bubble: With gas-fired power accounting for 43% of U.S. electricity generation last year, more pipelines mean more gas plants for Republicans and Trump to speed up in the grid interconnection waiting list.
