CLNG still believes DOE should eliminate review delays

Center for Liquefied Natural Gas (CLNG) President Bill Cooper issued a statement upon the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) implementation of its new procedure to only issue final approvals for applications to export LNG to non-free trade agreement (non-FTA) countries after applicants have completed National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review.

“CLNG continues to believe that DOE should adopt procedural changes to eliminate delays in the agency’s review process and reduce ongoing regulatory uncertainty. We have serious reservations about the direction of DOE’s procedural landscape,” says Cooper.

He also adds, “given recent rule changes, CLNG urges DOE to provide regulatory certainty by instituting a policy of prompt approval for final non-FTA export permits following NEPA review. For projects that meet the requirements under NEPA, DOE should set a timeline as to when it issues the final decisions. When developers have already faced a lengthy waiting period for a conditional approval and completed the FERC process, continued regulatory uncertainty is not beneficial. Rather, the development of these projects and the economic benefits they will deliver to this country should be expedited.”

Press Release, August 18, 2014; Image: CLNG