Tell Your Senators: It’s Time To Vote On Pending Energy Nominations

The Metals Services Center Institute (MSCI) believes that challenges to energy infrastructure development must be met with strong industry engagement. We truly appreciate our members’ attention to this issue and their responses to our calls for action. Right now there is another very important matter that needs action, and it’s even more urgent due to last week’s announcement that one of the last two commissioners of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is resigning.

As Connecting the Dots has explained in the past, the lack of a quorum at FERC has delayed construction of several major pipeline projects, and threatens the schedules of several more. The Energy Equipment and Infrastructure Alliance (EEIA), MSCI’s partner on energy issues, estimates that nearly $30 billion worth of construction is currently at risk because the FERC doesn’t have enough members. President Donald Trump has nominated new commissioners and the U.S. Senate Energy Committee has approved those nominations. The last step is a confirmation vote by the full Senate. Unfortunately, Senate leaders have had to delay those votes due to partisan bickering and a crowded Senate calendar.

To help break the impasse, industry stakeholders must urge their senators to call on leadership to schedule a vote. To do so, MSCI members can complete the EEIA’s Energy Builders Take Action page, which provides a link to send a letter urging a vote. The letter automatically will be sent from our members to their two senators. We know that nothing is more effective than when a senator hears from his or her constituents—so please act now.

In the coming days, EEIA will send a letter on behalf of all of its members, including MSCI, to Senate leaders urging quick action on the pending FERC nominations.