Michael Bouchard Sr
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Sign Our Petition to Legislators
The House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced several bills this spring that includes language to streamline natural gas permitting. One such bill would specifically streamline and speed up the environmental review process. The proposed BUILDER Act is designed to narrow the scope of NEPA review, reduce the time and resources involved in completing NEPA documents and streamline the approval process for critical pipeline projects.
These changes could help grow tremendous opportunities for industry craftsmen across the country. Sign our petition that we will submit to the appropriate decision makers as they consider these changes to NEPA that streamline and speed up the permitting process for pipeline projects!
RE: The BUILDER Act and Update to Regulations Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Dear [Official]:
I stand with Pipeliners Local 798, a trades union representing the nation’s most skilled and dedicated industry craftsmen, in supporting legislation, such as the proposed BUILDER Act, that modernizes the outdated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to make infrastructure project reviews more efficient, reduce project costs, spur economic recovery and rebuild America..
The proposed changes will modernize and streamline the permitting process for critical energy infrastructure projects, while respecting the integrity of the regulations already in place.
Under the current NEPA process, the average environmental impact statement takes about four and half years to complete, and 25% of completed impact statements have taken more than six years. This is critical time wasted while craftsmen wait for job opportunities and communities are denied associated economic activity. In addition, studies have shown that $157 billion in energy investment is simply holding in NEPA pipeline review, and a two-year NEPA review time limit could spur $67 billion in energy investment.
I support the common-sense provisions outlined in the BUILDER Act, specifically its impact on NEPA, for the following reasons:
- Implementing time limits for completing EAs and EISs, and shortening the page limits for those submissions, will help stakeholders complete reviews more efficiently, ultimately avoiding long delays on critical project approvals;
- Emphasizing early coordination with stakeholders and federal agencies allows for increased collaboration between project leadership teams, environmental experts and community members;
- The bill requires those who have abused or weaponized NEPA in the past to have participated meaningfully in the NEPA process before filing suit and provides a reasonable timeline to file those lawsuits, eliminating some litigation during the permitting process for important projects;
- Establishing and clarifying the threshold determinations for preparing environmental documents will help avoid costly delays and litigation under NEPA.
Hard-working members of Local 798, along with all industry craftsmen who have struggled to make a living while waiting for construction approvals for infrastructure projects, support the BUILDER Act and other similar legislation aimed at streamlining the pipeline review process. This is why I urge you and your colleagues to help push such legislation forward.
Signed,
[Names below]
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I’m a nineteen year member of local 798 pipeliners union. I have made a living welding on pipelines and in compressor stations my whole life. Building safe,economical transportation systems for natural gas and oil has always been the first and foremost goal of the union with the most state of the art training facilities available in the country today. Pipelines move more gas and oil safely than any other methods. I would like those it may concern to understand more about pipelines and how safely they transport products.
Northern Access
About the project
As the fourth largest natural gas consuming state in the country, New York runs on natural gas. Integral to the New York state economy, the use of natural gas and the pipeline infrastructure that delivers gas from neighboring states not only provides clean, homegrown, abundant, reliable and affordable energy, but also provides good-paying jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for communities nationwide.
The Northern Access pipeline will provide an outlet for natural gas production in north-central Pennsylvania, connecting it to the interstate pipeline system. That system connects to markets in the northeastern U.S. and mid-Atlantic regions as well as eastern Canada. The new sections of pipeline will interconnect specifically with the existing Trans Canada and Tennessee Gas Pipeline systems.
The project awaits a clean water certification from the New York State DEC before construction can begin.
Click here to view the project website.
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Pledge To Be An Energy Voter
With the right leadership and vision, we can ensure all Americans benefit from our nation’s emergence as an energy leader. It’s time to fulfill our bright energy future; it’s time to vote for candidates that support Local 798 jobs and the work that we do.
Join Local 798 by signing the petition and becoming an Energy Voter.
I understand the urgent need for clean, affordable and domestically sourced energy in my community, across my state and in throughout the nation. That is why I stand with political candidates and elected officials who show their support for an energy pipeline network that will safely and efficiently transport the nation’s abundant supply of domestic natural gas and oil supplies.
America is leading the world in oil and natural gas production. Working together, we can do even more. Producing, refining and transporting more domestic oil and natural gas will mean more abundant energy – and that means more affordable energy for American families and businesses.
We know there is enough potential domestic energy to serve all residential, business and industrial needs across the country. Yet, support for critical energy infrastructure is lacking among our political leaders.
To support my livelihood, my family and my community, I will enter the voting booth informed about how political leaders stand on the issue of energy infrastructure development. I will do my part to help elect leaders who recognize the tremendous benefits of and need to grow our energy transportation network and who support the union workforce that will build it.
Sincerely,
American Energy Industry Supporter
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Support Texas Pipeliners
The Permian Global Access Pipeline (PGAP) is expected to submit the 7(c) Natural Gas Certificate Application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) this year. The project was proposed in 2017 as part of Tellurian LNG's strategy to form a $7 billion pipeline network, along with the proposed Driftwood Liquified Natural Gas Terminal in Louisiana, supporting 15 thousand jobs in Texas and Louisiana.
Help secure jobs for local pipeliners! Sign the below petition that we will submit to FERC and other decision makers at the appropriate time.
I support the Permian Global Access Pipeline (PGAP), a critical investment in the Texas and Louisiana natural gas infrastructure network that will provide good jobs for Local 798 members and increase regional access to reliable, domestically sourced energy.
Once in service, the project will be an integral part of the proposed Tellurian Pipeline Network, which represents a $7 billion investment in the region's economic and energy future, including the creation of approximately 15 thousand jobs in Texas and Louisiana. Many of these jobs belong to the hard-working members of Local 798, a trades union representing some of the nation’s most skilled and dedicated craftsmen.
I support the Permian Global Access Pipeline for the following key reasons:
- the project team is incorporating all the most current federal standards into the design and operations of the pipeline, and in many instances, these standards will be exceeded to ensure the safest and most reliable system;
- the pipeline will be monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure ongoing safety;
- once in service, PGAP will help meet the region's growing energy demands, as it is designed to transmit 2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from West Texas to the Lake Charles area by late 2023 or early 2024;
- as part of the Tellurian Pipeline Network, PGAP will contribute to billions of dollars in state and local tax revenue, as well as an estimated 15 thousand jobs for regional construction workers.
Due to the reasons listed above, I urge the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other regulatory agencies to issue necessary permits for this critical project without delay.
Signed,
Permian Global Access Pipeline Supporter
Michael Bouchard Sr 185sc