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S. 641 117th Congress Senate

Landowner Fairness Act

Official title: A bill to amend the Natural Gas Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to consider certain factors in issuing certificates of public convenien… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to amend the Natural Gas Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to consider certain factors in issuing certificates of public convenience and necessity under that Act, to modify the requirements for the right to exercise eminent domain in construction of pipelines under that Act, to provide that the right of eminent domain may not be exercised under that Act for projects for the exportation of natural gas, and for other purposes.

Introduced: March 9, 2021 Introduced by: Ron Wyden Democratic · Oregon See on congress.gov
Energy Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAdministrative remediesAir qualityClimate change and greenhouse gases
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Environmental assessment, monitoring, researchFederal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)Judicial review and appealsLand transfersLicensing and registrationsOil and gasPipelinesProperty rightsPublic participation and lobbying
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This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 9, 2021
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Mar 9, 2021
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action March 9, 2021

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Landowner Fairness Act

This bill limits the use of eminent domain to take private property for the construction and operation of a natural gas pipeline facility.

Specifically, this bill ends the legal presumption that natural gas exports are by definition in the public interest. In addition, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission must consider certain factors in issuing certificates of public convenience and necessity for natural gas projects. Finally, the bill prohibits the holder of a certification of public convenience and necessity from exercising the right of eminent domain for a pipeline designed to export liquefied natural gas to a foreign country.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 1953 Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Democratic 2
D
Booker, Cory A.
New Jersey · Mar 9, 2021
 D
Merkley, Jeff
Oregon · Mar 9, 2021
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 641: Landowner Fairness Act. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-641/
MLA
"S. 641: Landowner Fairness Act." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-641/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 641, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-641/.
Markdown link
[S. 641: Landowner Fairness Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-S-641/)
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