The election stakes for natural gas pipeline permitting

The November presidential election adds to risks for natural gas pipelines, which link production to demand centers but increasingly face opposition from those seeking to phase out fossil fuels. For interstate gas pipelines, the federal government remains an important gatekeeper for permitting. If Democratic nominee Joe Biden is elected president, a change in leadership at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission raises questions about whether federal approvals would still be as predictable. In a recent boom cycle, gas pipeline capacity approved by FERC quadrupled between 2013 and 2017 to reach 30.7 Bcf/d before coming off that peak. Rob Rains, senior energy analyst with Washington Analysis, joined us to share whether he thinks federal approvals of gas projects will continue apace in the next presidential term.