According to E&E News (subscription required), FERC yesterday, for the first time, assessed the impacts of a gas pipeline’s downstream GHG emissions.  (As of this writing, the decision is not yet available on FERC’s web site.)

Former chair James Danly was unhappy, calling the decision “legally infirm.”  I question Commissioner’s judgment on this one.

Neil Chatterjee provided the Republican vote in favor, saying that he made a pragmatic decision, because the alternative might be a FERC that approves no new natural gas projects.

And why is everyone unhappy?  Well, as a representative of the GOP and industry position, I think Commissioner Danly’s position speaks for itself.  And why might greens be unhappy?  Because the Commission still voted to approve the project.  Indeed, Chairman Glick specifically noted that:

Analyzing the impacts of the project’s greenhouse gas emissions doesn’t automatically doom the project.

We’ll see how long that position holds – and if it holds at all for large new projects.