Among many other changes, the Lower Energy Costs Act intends to streamline the environmental review process for all energy projects, including LNG terminals. It would also outlaw fracking moratoriums.
Scalise said the Biden administration has been “very deliberative and targeted” in its slowdowns of basic permit approvals for energy projects.
“All of that has dramatically increased the cost of energy for families here in America. But it’s also hurt our ability to undermine adversaries around the world like Russia,” Scalise said.
Federal environmental impact statements, which can take a few years to complete, would be limited to a two-year deadline under the act. Environmental assessments, a shorter federal review, would be capped at one year.
Graves, the Baton Rouge Republican who sponsored that part of the legislation, said those caps are reasonable based on his experience with National Environmental Policy Act reviews. Graves chaired the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority under former Gov. Bobby Jindal.
“There were projects that were within the application process that, if approved, would’ve provided more capacity for LNG exports,” Graves said.
In a separate move, Kennedy and three other senators reintroduced a bill, the Natural Gas Export Expansion Act, to expedite approvals for LNG exports to countries with which the U.S. does not have free-trade agreements. The goal is to free up more exports for more European countries amid the Ukraine crisis.
In a statement, Kennedy said some companies wait up to a year for non-free-trade LNG permits. That wait is usually 45 days for free-trade permits.
“I introduced this bill to align the quicker timeline of countries that have free-trade agreements with others that would like to rely less on Russia,” Kennedy said. “And that’s good for Louisiana, because LNG exports sustain Louisiana jobs, promote America’s energy independence and reduce global emissions.”
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