Energy Policy Package -- Passage

Passage of the bill, as amended, that would increase the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) authority with regard to licensing and permitting of natural gas pipelines and hydropower projects, and would set statutory deadlines for agencies. It also would set a deadline for the Energy Department to approve or deny applications to export natural gas to within 30 days of the bill's enactment or the close of the application's public comment period, whichever is later. The bill would require FERC to facilitate voluntary information sharing between federal, state, and local authorities and operators and users of the U.S. bulk power system. It would deem mining operations of "strategic and critical minerals" as "infrastructure projects" as described in a 2012 presidential order regarding permitting of infrastructure projects. The measure also would require that additional water be pumped south from Northern California when water levels in the state are generally low rather than retaining water in the north for habitat restoration and other environmental purposes.