Pointing the finger at FERC
What is FERC?
FERC is an independent government agency that regulates the interstate transmission of electricity, natural gas and oil. Quite frankly, I didn’t even really know about FERC until a year or so ago when I started learning about the fracked gas pipelines headed our way, here in NY. This is the agency that gives green lights to gas companies for pipelines, compressor stations and LNG (liquid natural gas) terminals.
This agency was founded in the 1930s, but the Energy Policy Act of 2005 expanded FERC’s authority, naming it the lead agency coordinating all federal authorizations a pipeline might need — such as clean air or other environmental permits.
Here’s the problem. FERC is funded by the fossil fuel industry. Unlike agencies like EPA that is funded by taxpayer money, FERC gets money to run from annual charges from the corporations they are supposed to be regulating. And here’s a kicker! The more projects FERC approves, such as pipelines and compressor stations, the more fees they collect from the industry they are in charge of regulating.
Why should you care?
It boils down to clean air and water.
Future generations, including your kids and grandkids will be directly impacted as climate chaos accelerates due to the continued use of fossil fuels.
The more I learned about FERC, the more I realized something needed to be done. So I joined up with the gang at Beyond Extreme Energy, a consortium of more than 50 environmental organizations from around the country who are fighting FERC’s approval of fossil fuel infrastructure projects.
For me, taking action is the antidote to despair. The more I learn about things like FERC, the more I realize what a mess we’re in!
To learn more about gas projects in the NY area, check out the SANE Energy project.
Here in Westchester, learn more at SAPE- Stop the Algonquin Pipeline Expansion
