2023: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Prohibiting The President From
Declaring A Moratorium On Fracking And From Taking Actions That Would
Delay New Leases, Sales And Drilling Permits For Oil And Gas, Coal Or
Mineral Exploration. In March 2023, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the Lower Energy Costs Act, which
would "prohibit the president from declaring a moratorium on the use of
hydraulic fracturing and from taking any action that would delay new
leases, sales and drill permits for oil and gas, coal or mineral
exploration." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a
vote of 225 to 204, thus the bill was sent to the Senate for their
consideration. [House Vote 182,
3/30/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/30/23;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1]
2023: Fitzpatrick Voted For The Fiscal Responsibility Act Of 2023,
Which Streamlined The Permitting Process And Review For Federal Projects
Under The National Environmental Policy Act. In May 2023, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for the Fiscal Responsibility
Act of 2023, which, "Among provisions to streamline the permitting
process under the National Environmental Policy Act, the bill would set
deadlines of one year for environmental assessments and two years for
environmental impact statements; limit the page length of such
documents; adjust thresholds for levels of review; limit the scope of
reviews to 'reasonably foreseeable' environmental effects of an action;
and limit the definition of major federal actions under NEPA to those
subject to 'substantial federal control and responsibility.'" The vote
was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 314 to 117, thus
the bill was sent to the Senate. The Senate passed the bill, sent it to
President Biden, and it was signed into law. [House Vote 243,
5/31/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 5/31/23;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3746]
The Bill Provided Legislative Approval For The West
Virginia-To-Virginia Mountain Valley Pipeline. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "The bill would also legislatively approve
the West Virginia-to-Virginia Mountain Valley Pipeline."
[Congressional Quarterly,
5/31/23]
Left-Leaning Democrats Opposed The Package Due To Work Requirement
Expansions For Welfare Programs And Changes To The Permitting
Process For Federal Projects. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "Left-leaning House Democrats opposed the bill over its
expansion of work requirements for welfare programs and
modifications made to the environmental review process for federal
projects, among other complaints." [Congressional Quarterly,
5/31/23]
The Bill Included A Streamlining Of Federal Permitting To Boost
Coordination, Predictability And Certainty In Federal
Decision-Making. According to CNN, "The package also includes new
measures in the National Environmental Policy Act aimed at boosting
the coordination, predictability and certainty associated with
federal agency decision making, according to the White House
source." [CNN,
6/2/23]
The Bill Designated A Single Lead Agency To Develop An
Environmental Review Document And Required Agencies To Complete
Environmental Reviews Within One Year Or Two Years For Complex
Projects. According to CNN, "It will designate a single lead
agency, charged with developing a single environmental review
document, and also will require agencies to complete environmental
reviews in one year, or two years for the most environmentally
complex projects." [CNN,
6/2/23]
2023: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Streamlining The Federal Energy
Permitting Process, Including Codifying 2020 Regulations That Removed
Climate Change Impacts In The Review Process. In March 2023, according
to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the Lower Energy
Costs Act, which, "Among provisions to streamline the permitting process
under the National Environmental Policy Act, the bill would set
deadlines for the completion of NEPA environmental reviews and adjust
thresholds for levels of review; limit the scope of reviews to
'reasonably foreseeable' effects and codify 2020 regulations removing
requirements to consider climate change impacts in the review process;
and direct agencies to use previously completed reviews to satisfy NEPA
requirements for substantially similar proposed actions." The vote was
on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 225 to 204, thus the
bill was sent to the Senate for their consideration. [House Vote 182,
3/30/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 3/30/23;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1]
For Oil And Gas Permits, The Bill Would Restrict The Scope Of
Environmental Reviews To Areas Within Or Adjacent To Affected Plots
And Ban Consideration Of Downstream, Indirect Effects. According
to Congressional Quarterly, "For oil and gas projects, it would
limit the scope of environmental reviews to areas within or
immediately adjacent to affected plots and prohibit the
consideration of downstream, indirect effects of oil and gas
consumption." [Congressional Quarterly,
3/30/23]
The Bill Would Establish A 120-Day Deadline For Federal Agencies
To Review Applications For Cross-Border Oil And Gas Pipelines And
Make The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission The Lead Agencies For
Natural Gas Permitting. According to Congressional Quarterly, "To
expedite certain energy production and infrastructure projects, it
would establish procedures and a 120-day expedited deadline for
federal agencies to review applications for cross-border oil and
natural gas pipelines; and expand the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission's role as the lead agency for natural gas pipeline
permitting." [Congressional Quarterly,
3/30/23]
The Bill Would Overhaul The Permitting Process By Establishing A
2-Year Deadline For Major Environmental Reviews For Pipelines And
Clean Energy Projects And Mines And Making It Harder For
Environmentalists To Sue To Delay Projects. According to Politico,
"The GOP bill would overhaul rules for reviews conducted under the
bedrock 1970 National Environmental Policy Act for energy
infrastructure, ranging from pipelines to clean energy projects and
mines, by setting a two-year deadline for major reviews and making
it more difficult for environmentalists to sue to stop projects."
[Politico,
3/30/23]
The Bill Would Streamline The Permitting Process Under The
National Environmental Policy Act, Require More Oil And Gas Lease
Sales, And Encourage The Export Of Liquefied Natural Gas.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "The bill would accelerate the
permitting process under the National Environmental Policy Act,
mandate more oil and gas lease sales and support the export of
liquefied natural gas, or LNG." [Congressional Quarterly,
3/30/23]
The Bill Passed After The Intergovernmental Panel On Climate
Change Urged Action To Swiftly Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions And
End Burning Fossil Fuels To Prevent Catastrophic Climate Change.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "Passage comes a little more
than a week after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the
world's leading body of climate scientists, warned humanity must
work swiftly to slash greenhouse gas emissions and stop burning
fossil fuels to avert catastrophic rapid climate change."
[Congressional Quarterly,
3/30/23]