WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) issued the following statement after the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee advanced bipartisan energy legislation introduced by Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA). The Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015 includes the Barrasso-Heinrich bipartisan liquefied natural gas (LNG) export bill (S. 33) and an amendment Barrasso offered that directs federal agencies to prioritize environmental reviews for helium projects.
“Congratulations to Chairman Murkowski and Ranking Member Cantwell for advancing this substantial bipartisan energy package,” said Barrasso. “It’s been far too long since Congress was able to pass an energy bill of this magnitude. I’m pleased that we were able to include provisions important to the West, including my bipartisan LNG export legislation and my amendment to expand opportunities for Wyoming’s helium producers. The full Senate should waste no time this fall in taking up this bill.”
Background:
The Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015 includes the Barrasso-Heinrich bipartisan LNG legislation, S. 33, in sections 2201 and 2202 of the bill.
The bill also includes an amendment offered by Senator Barrasso that would require federal agencies to complete the environmental review process for helium-related projects on an expeditious basis. Wyoming is home to half of the nation’s helium reserves. Nearly all of this helium is located on federal land. The amendment directs federal agencies to prioritize National Environmental Policy Act reviews for helium projects.
On January 6th, Senator John Barrasso and Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced S. 33 the LNG Permitting Certainty and Transparency Act. The bipartisan legislation, which is cosponsored by six Senate Democrats, would speed up the decision-making process for exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to countries which do not have free trade agreements with the United States. The bill specifically requires the Secretary of Energy to make a final decision on any LNG export application within 45 days after the environmental review document for the project is published. On January 29th, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on S. 33.
In addition to Senators Barrasso and Heinrich, S. 33 is sponsored by Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), John Hoeven (R-ND), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Tom Udall (D-NM), Rob Portman (R-OH), Mark Warner (D-VA), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Cornyn (R-TX), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), David Vitter (R-LA) and Dean Heller (R-NV).