At his first meeting as FERC Chairman, Commissioner Norman Bay gave the cold shoulder to demonstrators who repeatedly interrupted him to protest what they say is the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s rubber stamp approach to regulation.
“Oh my God, we have a situation here. The situation is not going away,” shouted protestor Charles Chandler. “There is no democracy here. You just ignore what I write on my computer.”
“Well, I guess one wouldn’t be the chairman of FERC without having to deal with protesters,” Bay said, after the first of six were escorted out of the room one at a time.
Video of protests at FERC meeting.
Bay was acknowledging a new reality for the formerly obscure agency. As former FERC Chairwoman Cheryl LaFleur put it, “We have a situation here.” FERC has come to the forefront as gas infrastructure projects have increased exponentially. Pipelines, compressor stations and LNG terminals face “unprecedented opposition” instead of typically smooth approval.
“Commissioner Bay, FERC truly needs to be about public, not corporate interests, not the interests of the fossil fuel industry,” said Ted Glick, National Campaign Director of Chesapeake Climate Action Network, as security led him out of the room. “FERC is a rubber stamp for the gas industry. Commissioner Bay, you need to lead in ways that may be new to FERC.”
But by clicking off his microphone and staring into space every time a demonstrator stood up to voice their objections, Chairman Bay signalled that FERC was not open to new ways.
“Interrupting these open meetings does not help your cause,” he said, stating that out-of-turn comments could be regarded as ex parte communication.
If the Commission wanted to appear responsive to the public, it did not help its cause either. Aggressively brushing off an ongoing “situation” may lend credence to the claim that it turns a deaf ear to people’s concerns. A main complaint is that industry has ample access to FERC – the agency even gives seminars to help with applications – while community members cram to get up to speed with complicated laws and procedures. A recent article in Greenwire pointed out the close ties between FERC and the gas industry.
Bay said that he would like to respect the protestors’ First Amendment rights, but they will have to comply with agency rules of conduct. He gave no indication that he thought FERC’s process was insufficient. Submitting written comments to FERC during designated comment periods is the best way to get results, Bay said.
Some of the protestors at today’s meeting condemned the Commission’s approval of the Cove Point LNG export terminal conversion.
“As a kindergarten teacher I am here for the children. I am concerned because they are unable to breathe in Calvert County,” said protestor Sean Glenn. “I am here for their future, the future that you are destroying. The air is so precious and made more so by all the expansion of extracted dirty energy projects which you approved.”
The EPA has issued an F rating for air quality in Calvert County, MD, where Cove Point LNG is located; when completed, the facility will emit an additional 20.4 tons of pollutants per year. Dominion Resources was required to purchase emission credits allowing them to expel more pollutants.
In a statement, community coalition group We Are Cove Point demanded that FERC halt construction on the Cove Point terminal until it ruled on a request for rehearing on the approval certificate.
We Are Cove Point also called the rule FERC issued in March to suppress outbursts at Commission meetings “an industry friendly gag rule.”
Former Chairman Cheryl LaFleur got a chummy send-off from her head position with a gift of a photo of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for the Massachusetts native. She will remain on the Commission. FERC staff also said farewell to Deputy Chief Judge Bobbie McCartney.
The Commissioners meeting planned for May is not likely to be interruption-free. Beyond Extreme Energy, a coalition group which says it represents “frontline communities” affected by the gas infrastructure which FERC approves, has called for 10 days of protest at FERC headquarters in Washington, DC in May, including the Commission meeting.
Last November, Beyond Extreme Energy blockaded FERC headquarters for a full work week and contributed to protests at construction sites for Cove Point LNG.
Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One
Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.
Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.
Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.
As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.
And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.
In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.
We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.
We urgently need your help to prepare. As you know, our December fundraiser is our most important of the year and will determine the scale of work we’ll be able to do in 2025. We’ve set two goals: to raise $150,000 in one-time donations and to add 1,500 new monthly donors by midnight on December 31.
Today, we’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.
If you have the means to make a substantial gift, please dig deep during this critical time!
With gratitude and resolve,
Maya, Negin, Saima, and Ziggy