The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is the lead federal agency responsible for permitting the DeLa Express Project (FERC Docket No. PF24-4-000), conducting the environmental review process, and accepting public comment.
Public Input Opportunities
FERC provides opportunities for landowners and the public to participate in decision-making on proposed natural gas pipeline projects, including telling FERC staff about environmental and socioeconomic resources that are important and should be examined, alternatives to the proposed project that should be evaluated, and commenting on the draft Environmental Impact Statement. FERC will notify communities when there are open comment periods.
In June 2024, DeLa Express held seventeen open houses at fifteen locations along the proposed pipeline route as part of the FERC pre-filing process. In total, more than one thousand landowners and other stakeholders attended and were able to meet project team members, ask questions, and learn more about the Project. The Project team will use the information and feedback collected at the open houses to help refine the Project before submitting a formal application to FERC.
As part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process, FERC takes into account public comments regarding projects and the environmental impacts that could result from its action whenever it considers the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. This gathering of public input is referred to as “scoping.” FERC staff conducted ten public scoping sessions along the Project route in September 2024. The scoping session scheduled for Vinton, Louisiana was postponed due to weather and will be rescheduled for a later date.