FERC's EJ Tipping Point

Energy attorney Stephen Humes was quoted in POLITICO's Morning Energy newsletter about the increase in environmental justice (EJ) work under new Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chair Rich Glick. EJ has made a growing imprint on the commission’s work since Mr. Glick took the helm six months ago, and he plans to keep the issue at the forefront while making decisions on pipeline projects. However, infrastructure projects like pipelines are typically placed in areas that have already seen some development, said Mr. Humes.

"It’s more likely than not that regulators are going to approve the project in that location than a greenfield project in a suburban location where there has never been such a project," he said. "The community leaders, the church leaders, community groups will say, ‘This is environmental racism, you’re picking on us because it’s easier to pick on us.’ That’s really not the case at all.”

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