A fight has erupted on the Hill over exporting liquefied natural gas
(LNG), with some Democrats urging Energy Secretary Steven Chu to delay
while a bipartisan group of legislators is encouraging speedy approval
of pending export projects.
“Creating more opportunities to sell natural gas into global markets and access overseas customers could help the goals of increasing gas use and smooth out the historical boom-bust cycles,” wrote Republican Congressman Cory Gardner of Colorado and Democrat Jim Matheson of Utah, along with 14 other representatives from western states, in a recent letter to Chu.
“We urge you to move forward approval of the current report on which DOE is working as well as the pending LNG export applications,” the letter continues.
In early August, a group of 44 congressmen from Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas sent a letter to Chu pressing him to expedite approvals for LNG export terminals. They haven’t yet received a response.
Democrats led by Congressman Jared Polis of Colorado and Maurice Hinchey of New York called on the Energy Department to conduct an environmental impact statement before approving more LNG export deals or LNG terminal permits, according to the Hill.
“We are concerned that exporting more LNG would lead to greater hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking,’ activity thus threatening the health of local residents and jobs,” the Democrats wrote in a letter to Chu. “For instance, increased natural gas production in communities across the nation could negatively impact farmers, residents and local property values.”
On top of the environmental concerns that more exports would accelerate fracking in the U.S., Democrats have argued that exporting more LNG could raise electricity prices on consumers and manufacturers.
“Creating more opportunities to sell natural gas into global markets and access overseas customers could help the goals of increasing gas use and smooth out the historical boom-bust cycles,” wrote Republican Congressman Cory Gardner of Colorado and Democrat Jim Matheson of Utah, along with 14 other representatives from western states, in a recent letter to Chu.
“We urge you to move forward approval of the current report on which DOE is working as well as the pending LNG export applications,” the letter continues.
In early August, a group of 44 congressmen from Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas sent a letter to Chu pressing him to expedite approvals for LNG export terminals. They haven’t yet received a response.
Democrats led by Congressman Jared Polis of Colorado and Maurice Hinchey of New York called on the Energy Department to conduct an environmental impact statement before approving more LNG export deals or LNG terminal permits, according to the Hill.
“We are concerned that exporting more LNG would lead to greater hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking,’ activity thus threatening the health of local residents and jobs,” the Democrats wrote in a letter to Chu. “For instance, increased natural gas production in communities across the nation could negatively impact farmers, residents and local property values.”
On top of the environmental concerns that more exports would accelerate fracking in the U.S., Democrats have argued that exporting more LNG could raise electricity prices on consumers and manufacturers.
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