,,iib  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session 
,h4 ,r4 #aijj  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of 
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,december #i1  
#bjac,received2 read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,commerce1         
,science1 and ,transportation  ,,an     
,,act  ,to provide for the timely       
consideration of all licenses1 permits1 
and approvals required under ,federal   
law with respect to the siting1         
construction1 expansion1 or operation of
 any natural gas pipeline projects4  #a4
 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as
 the ,natural ,gas ,pipeline ,permitting
 ,reform ,act4  #b4 ,regulatory approval
 of natural gas pipeline projects       
,section #g of the ,natural ,gas ,act   
7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #gag;f7 is amended by    
adding at the end the following new     
subsection3  7i7 7#a7 ,the ,commission  
shall approve or deny an application for
 a certificate of public convenience and
 necessity for a prefiled project not   
later than #ab months after receiving a 
complete application that is ready to be

 processed1 as defined by the           
,commission by regulation4  7#b7 ,the   
agency responsible for issuing any      
license1 permit1 or approval required   
under ,federal law in connection with a 
prefiled project for which a certificate
 of public convenience and necessity is 
sought under this ,act shall approve or 
deny the issuance of the license1       
permit1 or approval not later than #ij  
days after the ,commission issues its   
final environmental document relating to
 the project4  7#c7 ,the ,commission may
 extend the time period under paragraph 
7#b7 by #cj days if an agency           
demonstrates that it cannot otherwise   
complete the process required to approve
 or deny the license1 permit1 or        
approval1 and therefor will be compelled
 to deny the license1 permit1 or        
approval4 ,in granting an extension     
under this paragraph1 the ,commission   
may offer technical assistance to the   
agency as necessary to address          
conditions preventing the completion of 

the review of the application for the   
license1 permit1 or approval4  7#d7 ,if 
an agency described in paragraph 7#b7   
does not approve or deny the issuance of
 the license1 permit1 or approval within
 the time period specified under        
paragraph 7#b7 or 7#c71 as applicable1  
such license1 permit1 or approval shall 
take effect upon the expiration of #cj  
days after the end of such period4 ,the 
,commission shall incorporate into the  
terms of such license1 permit1 or       
approval any conditions proffered by the
 agency described in paragraph 7#b7 that
 the ,commission does not find are      
inconsistent with the final             
environmental document4  7#e7 ,for      
purposes of this subsection1 the term   
prefiled project means a project for the
 siting1 construction1 expansion1 or    
operation of a natural gas pipeline with
 respect to which a prefiling docket    
number has been assigned by the         
,commission pursuant to a prefiling     
process established by the ,commission  

for the purpose of facilitating the     
formal application process for obtaining
 a certificate of public convenience and
 necessity4  4  ,passed the ,house of   
,representatives ,november #ba1         
#bjac4,karen ,l4 ,haas1,clerk