House set to debate energy exports, pipelines

E&E News
By Nick Juliano
June 24, 2014

The House is set to take up bills to expedite consideration of liquefied natural gas exports and ease the approval process for cross-border pipelines as a weeklong focus on energy issues continues.

The Rules Committee yesterday authorized a handful of amendments to the first pair of energy bills it will consider this week. Earlier in the day, the House easily approved a handful of minor energy efficiency bills.

Notably, this week's consideration of H.R. 6, which would give the Department of Energy a tight deadline to consider LNG export applications, will not feature debate over the related but more contentious question of whether to lift the de facto ban on exporting crude oil. Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) offered an amendment to revoke the president's authority to restrict oil exports and to make it easier to export coal by preventing consideration of global climate or environmental impacts in environmental reviews of export terminals, several of which have been proposed in the Pacific Northwest.

Rules Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Texas) said the committee did not authorize the amendment in order to maintain the "narrow" focus of the LNG and pipeline bills; Democratic amendments on tangential issues such as the Jones Act, which requires U.S.-flagged ships to transport goods between domestic ports, also were not authorized for debate.

A total of four amendments were approved for consideration on the LNG-export bill sponsored by Rep. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.). Gardner secured a vote on his manager's amendment to the bill -- which would cut the time DOE has to review applications from 90 days to 30, following the department's decision to overhaul its internal review process to occur after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission completes its separate environmental review of export applications. Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.), whom Gardner hopes to unseat in November, last week introduced a new version of his own LNG bill setting a 45-day deadline on DOE.

Other amendments to be considered include one from Reps. Rush Holt (D-N.J.) and Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) requiring the Energy secretary to determine the effect on domestic gas prices, jobs and other factors before approving LNG export licenses. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) offered an amendment requiring applicants to disclose whether they plan to seek eminent domain for any necessary construction of an LNG export terminal, and Reps. Michael Turner (R-Ohio) and Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) will receive a vote on their amendment declaring the sense of Congress that LNG exports are in the national interest.

The Rules Committee yesterday also advanced H.R. 3301, from Reps. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Gene Green (D-Texas), which would eliminate the president's authority to require permits for cross-border pipelines. The pipeline was inspired by -- but does not direct apply to -- the Keystone XL pipeline; however, KXL developer TransCanada could reapply for a permit under the new rules in the unlikely event the bill becomes law, even if its current application is denied (E&E Daily, June 19).

Three Democratic amendments to the pipeline bill will be considered. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) has an amendment to make the entire length of cross-border pipelines subject to review under the National Environmental Policy Act. Rep. Henry Waxman's (D-Calif.) amendment would exclude KXL or any other pipeline whose application is currently pending from the bill's modified approval requirements. And Rep. Pete Welch (D-Vt.) led others in offering an amendment to ensure that pipeline "modifications" undergo thorough environmental reviews.

Earlier in the day, the House adopted by voice vote several noncontroversial energy bills, including S. 2086, which aims to prevent propane shortages by adjusting rules governing transport of the commodity and is now headed to President Obama's desk; H.R. 4092, which provides assistance to improve energy efficiency in schools; and H.R. 4801, which would direct DOE to study the effect of thermal energy on energy and water systems in federal buildings.

On a 379-3 roll call vote, the House also sent to the president a concurrence in the Senate amendment to H.R. 316, which paves the way for a Connecticut town to reopen two hydropower dams.