FERC on Friday modified its process for determining when opposed natural gas infrastructure can proceed with construction after receiving a certificate order, strengthening landowner protections while specifying exemptions to the policy.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s latest order is designed to clarify the intent of last summer’s Order No. 871, a rule to prevent a project from starting construction before the agency has acted on any relevant rehearing requests. The move comes after the agency earlier this year signaled it would revisit the rule.

After receiving comments from pipeline developers, FERC said Friday that it is revising the previous rule to “apply only when a request for rehearing raises issues reflecting opposition to project construction,...