US congressman introduces bill to speed up review of LNG projects
Washington (Platts)--20May2004
Unwilling to "sit by idly while the energy bill gathers dust in the Senate," US Rep. Lee Terry, Republican-Nebraska, on Thursday introduced legislation aimed at encouraging the development of liquefied natural gas facilities. According to a statement, the bill would expedite the federal government's review of applications to build onshore LNG terminals and provide LNG companies regulatory certainty. The bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Gene Green, Democrat-Texas; John Sullivan, Republican-Oklahoma and Devin Nunes, Republican-California. "While we must increase domestic production, expanding LNG supplies is also necessary if we want to stabilize natural gas prices," said Terry. "The technology is available to bring more LNG here in a safe and secure way. Through this pro-jobs, pro-growth bill, we can help provide another option to diversify our energy portfolio." Interstate Natural Gas Assn. of America President Don Santa Jr. applauded the move, saying that while INGAA remains "supportive" of the comprehensive bill, it "recognizes the need to focus on the newly emerging challenges to constructing new LNG terminal capacity." Santa noted that the proposal deals "comprehensively with the approval, siting, permitting and regulation of LNG terminals." The legislative initiative "does not diminish" the need to develop new supply in North America in places like the Rocky Mountains, Canada, Alaska and the deepwater US Gulf of Mexico, he added. "Jurisdictional conflicts and a decentralized permitting process are frustrating the development of new LNG infrastructure," said Santa. Congress "must examine the need for an enhanced statutory framework that permits these facilities, if found to be in the public interests, to be sited on a timely basis, because delay and gridlock will only result in higher natural gas prices for all American consumers." This story was first published in Platts real-time news and market reporting service Platts Natural Gas Alert (http://naturalgasalert.platts.com ).
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