Legislative Activity

House to Consider Omnibus Energy Package

This week, the House will consider the “American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs and More American Jobs Act,” an omnibus legislative package that includes thirteen energy policy proposals. The legislative package includes a number of familiar items that House Republicans have promoted throughout the 113th Congress, including, H.R. 3, which would require executive approval of the presidential permit to build the Keystone XL pipeline, and H.R. 6, which would amend the Natural Gas Act to force the Department of Energy to expedite consideration of applications to export liquefied natural gas (LNG). The omnibus legislation also includes less controversial measures, including H.R. 4801, which intends to force the federal government to study the impact and cost-effectiveness of thermal insulation for federal buildings.

This Week’s Hearings

  • Wednesday, September 17: The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a legislative hearing to examine H.R. 4526, the “21st Century Energy Workforce Development Jobs Act of 2004,” introduced on a bipartisan basis by Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL), Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH).
  • Wednesday, September 17: The House Science Committee will hold a hearing titled The Administration’s Climate Change Plan” Failure by Design.”
  • Wednesday, September 17: The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a legislative hearing that will include consideration of H.R. 5066, legislation that would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to retire coal preference right lease applications for which the Secretary has made an affirmative commercial quantities determination.

Regulatory Activity

DOE Approves Two Applications to Export LNG to Non-FTA Nations

On Wednesday, September 10, the Department of Energy (DOE) provided final authorization for two applicants to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to countries that are not party to a free-trade-agreement with the United States. First, the Department authorized Cameron LNG LLC to export LNG from Louisiana’s Cameron Parish. That final authorization will permit Cameron to export up to 1.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day for up to 20 years. Second, the Department authorized Carib Energy LLC to export LNG in ISO containers by vessel to South American, Caribbean, and Central American nations. Carib Energy may now export up to 40 million cubic feet of natural gas per day for up to 20 years from a facility in Florida’s Martin County. The Department has now provided final authorization to export LNG to non-FTA nations on three occasions.