H.R. 7878: Scenic Trail Viewshed Protection Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-07-30 · Energy · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-07-30 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Kuster, Ann M. [D-NH-2] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Scenic Trail Viewshed Protection Act

Plain summary

Scenic Trail Viewshed Protection Act This bill authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to issue a certificate of public convenience and necessity for a natural gas pipeline project that crosses or impacts the view from a national scenic trail under certain conditions. Specifically, FERC may issue such certificate only if it determines that the pipeline is the only alternative to meet an overriding public need; the applicant considered alternatives in order to result in no, or minimal, adverse effect to the trail; minimal road construction will be required to construct and operate the pipeline; construction of the pipeline will use the best available technology in order to minimize the potential for leakage; the pipeline will intersect the trail at a point that already has significant infrastructure crossing and only crosses the trail once; the pipeline will not affect the viewshed of a trail in an area of high conservation, recreational, or scenic value, a protected wilderness area, an old-growth forest or alpine area, or the designated location for a shelter or campsite; construction techniques for the pipeline will produce a minimal disturbance to the trail and surrounding conserved lands; plans for the ongoing maintenance and operation of the pipeline ensure that it is done in a way that minimizes impact on the trail; and the applicant acknowledges that it has a duty to protect the trail and ensure the health and safety of the public who use such trail and the surrounding environment.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Scenic Trail Viewshed Protection Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Kuster, Ann M. [D-NH-2] · 5 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Richard E. Neal (D-MA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr7878.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr7878 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116