Cramer: Liquefied Natural Gas Bill to Help Open New Markets

Press Release

Congressman Kevin Cramer supported a bill passed by the House of Representatives today to ease the approval process for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports and imports.

H.R. 4606, the Ensuring Small Scale LNG Certainty and Access Act, allows the expedited approval of small-scale LNG exports, which will reduce the regulatory burden for domestic energy producers to access new markets, most likely in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. It also preserves existing environmental laws to ensure small-scale export facilities receive the proper review.

The legislation amends the Natural Gas Act to expedite permits for export to small-scale LNG markets, defined as no more than 0.14 billion cubic feet per day. It removes unnecessary natural gas export restrictions, which date back to the 1930s, to put the commodity on a more level playing field with other exported products.

"By saving several months of review time and providing greater certainty in the permitting process, this legislation will create more U.S. jobs, grow our economy, and significantly increase our influence abroad," said Cramer. "This will have a profound impact in energy-producing states like North Dakota as we continue to make America more energy independent, secure, and dominant."

Cramer said this legislation places small-scale LNG exports on a level playing field with exports to free trade agreement countries, like Canada and Mexico, under the Natural Gas Act. Cramer is also supporting legislation to remove these restrictions not experienced by other commodities on all natural gas exports and imports regardless of scale.

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