"Climate: FERC, Greens Spar Over 'Cursory' Reviews of Gas Projects"

"Climate change activists have opened a new front in their fight against fossil fuels at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

They are pressing the agency to examine the impact of projects tied to the U.S. natural gas boom on global warming. They say the National Environment Policy Act, or NEPA, requires such assessments before projects move on.

FERC disagrees.

The commission says there's no reliable formula for weighing the impacts on the environment of emissions from any pipeline, compressor station or export terminal. The agency also says it can't measure a project's indirect effects, such as how one pipeline might spur more drilling for gas. The courts, it adds, are on its side."

Hannah Northey reports for Greenwire October 20, 2014.