This bill amends the Natural Gas Act to require the Secretary of Energy to decide whether proposed exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are in the public interest. The Secretary must hold a hearing, complete climate, economic, and environmental justice assessments, and make a decision within 1 year after receiving the final Federal Energy Regulatory Commission environmental impact statement and finishing required assessments. The climate assessment must use the 20-year global warming potential for methane and estimate full lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. The economic assessment must show effects on consumer groups like low-income households, small businesses, manufacturers, and state and local governments. The environmental justice assessment must examine cumulative burdens on rural, low-income, minority, and other vulnerable communities and consider local fisheries, racial and socioeconomic disparities, and civil rights compliance. The bill requires public participation that addresses barriers for affected communities, treats DOE export authorizations as major Federal actions under NEPA, removes a categorical NEPA exclusion for LNG export approval, and directs the Secretary to issue rules to implement the law within one year.
If the bill becomes law, the Energy Department would have to consider climate impacts, consumer energy costs, and environmental justice before approving LNG exports. There would be defined assessment steps, public comment periods, and a one-year decision deadline after certain documents and studies are complete.
No publicly available information.
The bill requires the Energy Secretary to weigh climate change, effects on U.S. energy prices, and impacts on vulnerable communities before approving LNG exports. It also creates specific assessment methods and public-participation requirements and removes a prior NEPA categorical exclusion for LNG export approvals.
No publicly available information.