WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The Army Corps of

Engineers has identified over 600 energy and other

infrastructure projects that could be fast-tracked under

President Donald Trump's National Energy Emergency declaration,

according to data posted on its website.

Among the projects on the list were Enbridge's ( ENB ) Line

5 oil pipeline under Lake Michigan, several natural gas power

plants, and liqufied natural gas export terminals proposed by

Cheniere and Venture Global ( VG ).

The Army Corps posted the list - without sending a

public notice - last week, marking the projects as eligible for

emergency permitting treatment.

Trump had ordered the Army Corps to issue permits enabling

the filling of wetlands and dredging or building in waterways as

part of the "National Energy Emergency" he declared in a day-one

executive order.

The Army Corps was not immediately available for comment.

The fast-tracking of these projects could trigger legal

fights, with environmental groups warning they are flouting

federal laws.

"This end-run around the normal environmental review process

is not only harmful for our waters, but is illegal under the

Corps' own emergency permitting regulations," said David

Bookbinder, Director of Law and Policy at The Environmental

Integrity Project.

Companies with projects awaiting key permits applauded the

move to "streamline" the review process.

"We are very encouraged to see this action to expedite

review for responsible critical mineral development projects,"

said Jon Cherry, CEO of Perpetua Resources ( PPTA ), which is

developing a U.S. antimony and gold mine in Idaho with financial

support from the Pentagon and U.S. Export-Import Bank.

The Biden administration had issued the mine a permit,

but it still needs a wetlands permit, which Cherry said he

expects to receive by July.

West Virginia has the largest number of projects on the

list at 141. There 60 in Pennsylvania, 57 in Texas, 42 in

Florida, 41 in Ohio, according to the Environmental Integrity

Project, which is tracking the permits.

Officials at Enbridge ( ENB ), Venture Global ( VG ), and Cheniere were

not immediately available to comment.