Fed agencies ally to speed energy projects

“Common procedures for determining what type of air quality analyses are appropriate and when air modeling is necessary; specific provisions for analyzing and discussing impacts to air quality and for mitigating such impacts; and a dispute resolution process to facilitate timely resolution of differences among agencies.”

Officials said the agreement builds off a recent meeting of the minds between agencies to advance a delayed natural gas project in Utah – the Greater Natural Buttes Area Gas Development Project – while ensuring stronger controls to combat ozone pollution.

“Today’s agreement will align federal agencies so that oil and natural gas development in the United States is achieved in a way that also protects important environmental resources,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe in a statement.

But a senior Capitol Hill Republican was quick to express his doubts about the effort.

“When a group of federal agencies get together, smile and claim that they are going to improve energy production in the U.S., Americans have every right to be skeptical,” said House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) in a statement.

“Increased government involvement is rarely ever the solution and the Obama Administration’s long anti-energy record only adds to the uncertainty. The Committee will ask serious questions about what new burdens and changes will come as a result of this MOU and its impacts on job creation and American energy production,” he said.

This post was updated at 1:46 p.m.