Bills · S 1485
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
Senate BillS 1485Energy
North American Energy Act
INTRO APR 10· LAST ACTION APR 10
READING
8MIN
COSPONSORS
1
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed Senate
Passed House
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it could significantly accelerate the development of major energy infrastructure projects at U.S. international borders. Currently, these projects can face lengthy delays due to extensive environmental reviews and multiple layers of federal approval. By setting faster approval timelines, the bill could facilitate quicker construction of pipelines and power lines, potentially increasing the speed and volume of energy trade with Canada and Mexico.
If this bill becomes law, proponents argue it would enhance North American energy security, improve the efficiency of energy markets, and make the U.S. a more reliable energy partner. If it does not become law, the existing, often slower, approval processes would remain in place, which could continue to create bottlenecks for new cross-border energy projects. This could impact energy availability, reliability, and potentially costs for consumers, as well as the U.S.'s capacity to export or import energy resources efficiently.
KEY PROVISIONS
5AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Establishes a new "certificate of crossing" requirement for the portion of oil pipelines, natural gas pipelines, and electric transmission facilities that are located at an international boundary.
This creates a specific, primary authorization needed for the border-crossing components of major energy infrastructure projects.
PROVISION 02
Requires the relevant federal agency (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for pipelines, Secretary of Energy for electricity) to issue a certificate of crossing within 90 days after environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act is complete, unless the project is found not to be in the public interest.
This sets a strict deadline for approval and places the burden on agencies to justify denial rather than requiring extensive justification for approval.
PROVISION 03
Amends the Natural Gas Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to grant applications for natural gas import or export to Canada or Mexico within 30 days of receiving a complete application.
This significantly fast-tracks the approval process for natural gas trade with neighboring countries, reducing potential delays.
PROVISION 04
Repeals the existing requirement for the Secretary of Energy to issue a separate order for transmitting electric energy across international borders.
This removes an extra administrative step, streamlining the approval process for cross-border electricity projects.
PROVISION 05
Clarifies that the bill does not affect the application of other federal statutes, including the scope of environmental reviews required under the National Environmental Policy Act or other specific approvals under the Natural Gas Act.
This ensures that broader environmental protections and other regulatory requirements for the overall project still apply, despite the streamlined border-crossing approval process.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 1
R· North Dakota
YRS IN OFFICE
15
BILLS LED
25
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 0 REP 1 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSAPR 10
Introduced in Senate
APR 10
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
BILL INFO
TypeSenate Bill
NumberS 1485
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedApr 10, 2025
Last actionApr 10, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED APR 10, 2025
Senate BillS 1485Energy
North American Energy Act
INTRODUCED APR 10, 2025· LAST ACTION APR 10, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
8 min
COSPONSORS
1
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
