The Trump Administration Clears 5th FAST-41 Pipeline Project, Bringing Lower-Cost Energy to the Southeast
Contact Information
Permitting Council Press Office (media@permitting.gov)
WASHINGTON (November 6, 2026) – The Trump Administration has completed federal permitting for the fifth pipeline project since the start of the administration. The South System Expansion 4 project is now positioned to play a key role in lowering energy costs across the Southeastern United States and strengthening America’s energy security.
“The Permitting Council has more than doubled the number of completed pipeline projects compared to the last administration, completing permitting on each project in a year or less,” said Emily Domenech, Permitting Council Executive Director. “The South System Expansion 4 project directly answers to the energy dominance and economic agenda set by President Trump when he took office, and will ensure reliable and affordable energy for American families and businesses in the region.”
Extending from Mississippi to Alabama and Georgia, the South System Expansion 4 project will expand natural gas capacity by approximately 1.3 billion cubic feet per day to support increased residential, commercial, industrial load, and electric generation demand in the Southeast. The project consists primarily of brownfield looping and compression additions, which will build new segments of pipeline parallel to existing pipeline. This work will happen across approximately 291 miles of existing assets, with limited greenfield (new) segments.
“There is a clear need to expand the natural gas pipeline network across the United States to secure affordable, reliable energy for families and businesses,” said FERC Chairman Laura V. Swett. “The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is proud to work with the Permitting Council and our sister agencies to advance critical infrastructure projects that lower energy prices and increase reliability for the American people.”
“Kinder Morgan is pleased that the federal environmental review and permitting processes for the South System Expansion 4 Project are now complete,” said Ernesto Ochoa, President of Southern Natural Gas Company, L.L.C. “This marks an important milestone for the project. We appreciate the collaborative and coordinated efforts of the Permitting Council, FERC, and other federal agencies in conducting a thorough review and issuing the necessary permits and clearances for the project to advance. As a result of these diligent efforts, the project is well-positioned to move forward and deliver benefits to our customers and the southeast region.”
The South System Expansion 4 project is sponsored by Kinder Morgan Inc. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) led federal permitting. Learn more about the South System Expansion 4 project on the Federal Permitting Dashboard.
About the Permitting Council and FAST-41
Established in 2015 by Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41), the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) is a federal agency charged with improving the transparency and predictability of the federal environmental review and authorization process for certain critical infrastructure projects. The Permitting Council is composed of the Permitting Council Executive Director, who serves as the Council Chair; 13 federal agency Council members; and the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. The Office of the Executive Director coordinates federal environmental reviews and authorizations for projects that seek and qualify for FAST-41 coverage, which are in turn entitled to comprehensive permitting timetables and transparent, collaborative management of those timetables on the Federal Permitting Dashboard.
Learn more about the Permitting Council at permitting.gov.
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Last Updated: Friday, November 6, 2026