APGA expressed concern to Chairman Landrieu of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and Senator Udall—also of the committee—regarding their recently introduced legislation, the Natural Gas Export Promotion Act of 2014, which would expedite the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
In the letter of concern, APGA stated that, “The impact of exporting U.S. LNG is clear. As every study on the issue has shown, exporting LNG increases the domestic price of natural gas. This means that whether you are a homeowner, small business, or large industrial enterprise, exporting LNG increases the prices you pay for not just energy, but also the goods and services that have the cost of energy built into them.”
APGA went on to say, “The Natural Gas Export Promotion Act would only exacerbate this price impact by forcing the Department of Energy (DOE) to make a decision on whether or not an export application to a non-free trade agreement (FTA) country is in the public interest within 45 days. This arbitrary, compressed timeframe will not allow DOE to conduct a thorough public interest determination on whether the application will harm U.S. consumers, the economy, or national security.”
APGA continues to believe that instead of exporting premium fossil fuel, Congress should pursue policies to promote the domestic use of natural gas and to export advanced production technologies that will allow countries with gas reserves to quickly and efficiently utilize their own resources.
[mappress] Press Release, June 27, 2014; Image: AGPA