FERC Extends Gas Pipeline Paperwork Status Quo
Published Date: 3/18/2026
Notice
Summary
FERC is extending the current paperwork rules for natural gas pipeline transactions for three more years with no changes. This affects interstate pipelines and local gas companies who report these transactions. If you’re involved, you can send your comments by May 18, 2026, but no new fees or forms are coming your way.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 5 costs, 0 mixed.
Market-Based Storage Rate Filing Burden
Applicants seeking initial approval to charge market-based rates for natural gas storage must submit detailed filings (Statements A through I) demonstrating lack of market power and other requirements under 18 CFR 284.501–.505. FERC estimates 4 respondents for initial market-based rate (MBR) filings with an average burden of 350 hours and average cost per filing of $35,700.
Three-Year Extension of FERC-549
If you are a jurisdictional interstate or intrastate natural gas pipeline or a local distribution company, FERC is extending the existing FERC-549 paperwork requirements for three years with no proposed changes. The rule continues the reporting, recordkeeping, and cost burdens shown in the notice (total estimated annual burden: 7,976 hours and $800,767).
10-Day Notice for Market-Change Events
Storage providers authorized to charge market-based rates must notify FERC within 10 days of learning of significant changes in market-power status (for example, expanding storage capacity or an affiliate providing services in the same market). FERC estimates change-in-circumstances filings average 75 hours and $7,650 per filing, with 4 respondents shown in the estimate.
Certification and 30-Day Filing Rules
Before an interstate pipeline can provide transportation under 18 CFR 284.102(d)(3), it must receive a certification letter and sufficient information from the intrastate pipeline or LDC. Intrastate pipelines must file statements within 30 days of commencing new interstate transportation service and must amend filings within 30 days of operations or rate changes. FERC estimates the transportation/rates category covers 61 respondents, 2 responses each, with 50 hours per response and $5,100 average cost per response.
Five-Year Record Retention Rule
Entities subject to the Code of Conduct (interstate pipelines providing unbundled sales and persons with blanket marketing certificates) must retain all data and information used to bill prices or report price indices for five years. FERC estimates this retention burden covers 176 respondents at 1 hour each, with an average cost of $29.36 per respondent and a total annual cost of $5,167.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-16925, Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-725U); Comment Request; Extension
In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the currently approved information collection FERC-725U (1902-0274), Mandatory Reliability Standards for the Bulk Power System; CIP Reliability Standards. There are no proposed changes to the reporting requirements. The comment period ended on July 27, 2026, with no comments received.
2026-16739, Venture Global CP2 LNG, LLC, Venture Global CP Express, LLC; Notice of Scoping Period Requesting Comments on Environmental Issues for the Proposed CP2 LNG Expansion Project, and Notice of Public Scoping Sessions
2026-16633, Columbia Gulf Transmission, LLC; Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Maysville Project
2026-16616, Regulatory Agenda
We are publishing our regulatory agenda (the Agenda) in accordance with Public Law 96-354, "The Regulatory Flexibility Act," and Executive Order 12866, "Regulatory Planning and Review." FERC's complete Agenda, available on OMB's website at https://www.reginfo.gov, is a compilation of all rulemaking activities on which we have recently completed action or have proposed or are considering action. Our last Agenda was provided in May 2025 and in this current agenda, we have listed 42 rulemaking activities. We also note that the Agency has one inactive rulemaking that is not listed in this Agenda. This issuance of our Agenda contains ten (10) Pre-Rules, eleven (11) Notice of Proposed Rules, eight (8) Final Rules, and thirteen (13) Completed activities. Four (4) rulemakings are Section 3(f)(1) Significant; two (2) are Other Significant; one (1) is a routine rulemaking activity; two (2) are administrative, and thirty-two (32) are Substantive, Nonsignificant rulemaking activities.
2026-16637, Combined Notice of Filings
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission got new filings from several natural gas pipeline companies about rate changes and rule updates. These changes could affect pipeline rates starting as soon as July 9, 2026, and some compliance updates kick in January 1, 2027. If you want to speak up or get involved, you need to comment by late August 2026.
2026-16525, Combined Notice of Filings
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission got new filings from natural gas pipeline companies about their rates and refunds. These filings could change how much customers pay starting as soon as September 1, 2026. If you want to speak up or get involved, you need to act by mid to late August.
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