Sixteen western US House members asked Sec. of Energy Steven Chu to move forward on his department’s review of federal policies covering LNG exports and approve pending liquefaction and export terminal applications.
“Creating more opportunities to sell natural gas into global markets and access overseas customers could help the goals of increasing gas use and smooth out the historical boom-bust cycles,” US Reps. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Jim Matheson (D-Utah), and 14 others said in their Sept. 24 letter to Chu.
Making gas prices sustainable will continue to stimulate resurgence of US chemical and other manufacturers, electricity generators, and farmers while keeping home heating and transportation costs low, the federal lawmakers continued.
“Allowing gas, like other US commodities, to have the opportunity to sell its product on the worldwide market will help create jobs and help balance our trade deficit,” they said.
The US Energy Department is expected to complete its review of federal LNG export policies by the end of 2012, and presumably use its conclusions in considering LNG export applications.
“Today’s letter is yet another indication that Americans are ready to get back to work,” Bill Cooper, president of the Center for Liquefied Natural Gas, said as the House members released their letter.
“Promoting exports is a longstanding policy in the United States, including [US President Barack Obama’s] National Export Initiative, which is designed to create jobs by doubling US exports by 2015,” he observed.
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