US pipeline proposals raise wetland and oversight concerns

What you need to know

• The pipeline count and mileage come from EIP’s analysis of public records. The figures describe projects proposed or under way, not a confirmed total of pipelines that will be built. 12
• EIP attributes the expansion mainly to growing liquefied natural gas exports, and partly to demand for electricity from data centres. The report cites at least 98 proposed gas-fired power plants dedicated to data centres, but the collected reporting does not establish how much pipeline development is attributable to that demand. 12
• EIP estimates that at least 81 projects could damage more than 19,000 acres of federally protected wetlands. This is a forecast of potential impacts, not a measurement of damage already caused. 12
• A 12 January 2026 PHMSA notice provides for limited enforcement discretion when regulated parties defer certain required activities and meet stated conditions. They must demonstrate that deferral will not create an unreasonable risk to public safety, property or the environment. 3
• PHMSA’s enforcement summary records 112 pipeline enforcement cases initiated in 2025. The agency says the figures come from its work management system and may change as cases are updated. 4

Why this matters

The project inventory and wetland estimate point to possible pressure on protected habitats if proposals proceed. The enforcement policy is limited and conditional, rather than a blanket suspension of pipeline safety rules, but it changes how some deferred activities may be handled. 123

What happens next

The number of projects that proceed, their timelines and their final routes remain unresolved. Further information on permits and route changes would help clarify how the potential wetland impacts identified by EIP may change. 12

What we know

• EIP’s October 2026 report identifies at least 193 proposed or under-construction projects covering more than 17,000 miles; it says 151 would carry natural gas. 2
• EIP identifies liquefied natural gas exports as a main driver and data-centre electricity demand as a contributing factor. 12
• PHMSA describes its enforcement discretion as limited to specified circumstances involving deferred activities, with conditions and continued authority to act on significant safety issues. 13

What we don't know

• The reporting does not establish how many of the 193 projects will be built or when. 12
• The collected sources do not independently validate EIP’s full project inventory or explain in detail the methodology and assumptions behind its wetland estimate. 12
• The available reporting does not quantify data centres’ contribution to the pipeline build-out compared with LNG exports and other sources of demand. 12
• It is unclear how many projects have since received permits or changed route, and therefore how the estimated potential wetland impacts may have shifted. 12

Read the reporting

This WildNews briefing synthesises and summarises reporting from the sources below. WildNews did not produce the original reporting. Learn more about how we use AI