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Feb 11, 2026

House Passes Bill To Speed Federal Permitting For Natural Gas Pipelines

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted 213 to 184 to pass legislation aimed at speeding up federal permitting for interstate natural gas pipelines. The bill would designate the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as the lead agency for pipeline permitting reviews.

Under the legislation, FERC would be allowed to consider water quality assessments as part of its environmental review, rather than waiting for separate Clean Water Act certifications from states.

Supporters say state-level certifications have often delayed pipeline approvals for years. The bill is titled the Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act. It is one of several measures in Congress aimed at accelerating federal permitting processes.

Another bill, the Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today Act, also passed the House with bipartisan support. Lawmakers have made broad permitting reform a priority as they seek to expand energy infrastructure to meet rising electricity demand.

That demand has grown in part due to the rapid expansion of data centers across the country. Supporters of the legislation also argue that faster permitting could help reduce household energy costs, particularly by enabling quicker construction of energy projects that can increase supply and competition in the market.

The agency has approved most natural gas pipeline proposals that have come before it recently.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Friday that gasoline prices could begin falling within weeks despite a sharp spike tied to the escalating conflict with Iran. Wright said the disruption to global oil markets is likely temporary.

“Look, Iran’s been an escalator of energy prices [for] 47 years, the whole history of their regime,” Wright said in an interview, Newsmax reported. “We got a little bit of an interruption right now to finally put an end to their ability to wreak havoc, to kill Americans, and to terrorize their neighbors.”

His remarks came as oil traders and drivers reacted to rising crude and gasoline prices following joint U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran.

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