FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act of 2025

Protection for Environmental Justice Communities: The bill requires the Commission to evaluate how proposed actions affect these communities by looking at existing and potential public health and environmental stressors (Section 2(b)(1)(A) and 2(b)(2)(B)).

Climate Change Accountability: The Commission must quantify reasonably foreseeable greenhouse gas emissions, including upstream and downstream effects, to determine their impact (Section 2(b)(2)(C)).

Mandatory Mitigation: Applicants may be required to submit a proposal detailing how they will mitigate environmental effects on climate change and environmental justice communities (Section 2(b)(3)(A)).

Mitigation Through Conditions: The Commission can attach conditions to certificates that require holders to address potential adverse effects on climate change and environmental justice communities (Section 2(b)(3)(B)).

Prevention of Disproportionate Burdens: The bill directs the Commission to consider that no community should bear a disproportionate share of adverse environmental and public health consequences from approved certificates (Section 2(b)(2)(D)(i)(I)).

Requirement for Detailed Explanations: If the Commission approves an action without requiring mitigation to bring effects below the significance threshold, it must provide a detailed explanation of why mitigation is not practicable (Section 2(b)(3)(C)).

Additional Explanations for Required Projects: If the Commission finds a project is required despite significant environmental effects that cannot be mitigated, it must provide a detailed explanation as to why (Section 2(b)(4)(B)).