Senate Republicans ask FERC about LNG application review process

Aug. 22, 2018
US Senate Republicans, including Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair Lisa Murkowski (Alas.) and four of its GOP members, called on the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve pending LNG export applications as they sought more information about FERC’s approval process and available resources in an Aug. 21 letter to FERC Chairman Kevin McIntyre.

US Senate Republicans, including Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair Lisa Murkowski (Alas.) and four of its GOP members, called on the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve pending LNG export applications as they sought more information about FERC’s approval process and available resources in an Aug. 21 letter to FERC Chairman Kevin McIntyre.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (La.) originated the letter, which also was signed by Sens. John A. Barrasso (Wyo.), John N. Kennedy (La.), Ted Cruz (Tex.), Cory Gardner (Colo.), James M. Inhofe (Okla.), and James E. Risch (Idaho) as well as Murkowski. Cassidy, Barrasso, Gardner, and Risch serve on the committee.

Thanking him for his testimony at a June 12 Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing with other FERC commissioners, the senators said they were encouraged by McIntyre’s statements regarding the need for pending LNG applications to be processed in a timely manner. “However, we would like clarification concerning FERC’s current efforts to address resource constraints,” they said.

“In response to a question by Sen. Gardner, you discussed the number of LNG applications pending before the agency. You characterized the number of applications as ‘larger, more complex, and more expensive’ and you indicated that FERC is ‘actively looking for creative new ways to embrace and attack this increased workload’ as well as for ‘internal processes that we can streamline,’” the senators said.

“You had a similar response to a question from Sen. Murkowski, and you mentioned the ongoing search for improved efficiency in order to handle FERC’s increased workload,” they said.

The senators then asked McIntyre:

• “What steps is FERC taking to make sure that there are sufficient work force resources (staff and consultants) available to expeditiously complete review of pending LNG export project applications?

• “What steps is FERC taking to ‘streamline internal processes’ with regard to LNG export project applications?

• “How does FERC, as the lead agency in the ‘One Federal Decision’ (OFD) process for LNG export projects, plan to work with other state and federal agencies to ensure that their participation is timely and constructive and that their reviews are conducted concurrently? Are additional resources or legislative actions needed to facilitate this streamlining?

• “What criteria are used to determine the order in which LNG projects receive scheduling orders? (For example, are applications that are deemed more complete prioritized, or does FERC proceed in the order of applications received?)

• “How will FERC ensure that all applications move forward simultaneously, especially when considering some of the larger, time intensive applications currently under review by the commission?”

The senators said it was pleased that McIntyre and the other FERC commissioners share their dedication “to making sure that the second wave of US LNG export project applications moves forward in a timely manner.”

Contact Nick Snow at [email protected].