Declaring FERC a 'Rubber Stamp for Industry,' Campaigners Disrupt Senate Hearing

September 28, 2020 0 By JohnValbyNation

Decrying the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as nothing but a “rubber stamp” for industry, a number of activists disrupted a Senate energy committee hearing Thursday on President Donald Trump’s FERC nominees.

“FERC’in nuts” was how E&E News reporter Hannah Northey described the scene on Capitol Hill Thursday morning, as an estimated five people were removed from the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing.

According to reports, one woman was dragged from the hearing by security yelling: “FERC hurts families! Shut FERC down!” Another disrupter tied himself to his chair.

The activists were there representing a coalition of more than 160 organizations that oppose Trump’s nominees to the agency which oversees the permitting process for fracked-gas pipelines and other fossil fuel industry infrastructure. Those groups have expressed frustration over FERC’s record of “ignor[ing] and dismiss[ing] community and climate concerns when review industry permits” and said that things are likely to “get worse” under Trump.

“Their message is simple,” said the organization Beyond Extreme Energy (BXE), “Until Congress investigates the agency’s abuses of power and law, the Senate must not approve new FERC commissioners.”

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