113th CONGRESS
2d Session

S. 2494

To expedite applications to export natural gas, to require the public disclosure of liquefied natural gas export destinations, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 18, 2014

Mr. Udall of Colorado (for himself, Ms. Landrieu, and Mr. Begich) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

A BILL

To expedite applications to export natural gas, to require the public disclosure of liquefied natural gas export destinations, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. Short title.

This Act may be cited as the “Natural Gas Export Promotion Act of 2014”.

SEC. 2. Applications to export natural gas.

(a) In general.—The Secretary of Energy (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) shall issue a final decision on any application for authorization to export natural gas under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) that is pending on or filed on or after the date of enactment of this Act not later than 45 days after conclusion of the review required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

(b) Judicial review.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Except for review in the Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the circuit in which the export facility will be located pursuant to an application described in subsection (a) shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction over any civil action for the review of—

(A) an order issued by the Secretary with respect to the application; or

(B) the failure of the Secretary to issue a decision on the application.

(2) ORDER.—If the Court in a civil action described in paragraph (1) finds that the Secretary has failed to issue a decision on the application as required under subsection (a), the Court shall order the Secretary to issue the decision not later than 30 days after the order of the Court.

(3) EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION.—The Court shall—

(A) set any civil action brought under this subsection for expedited consideration; and

(B) set the matter on the docket as soon as practicable after the filing date of the initial pleading.

SEC. 3. Public disclosure of export destinations.

Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(g) Public disclosure of liquefied natural gas export destinations.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—In the case of any authorization to export liquefied natural gas, the Secretary of Energy shall require the applicant to report to the Secretary of Energy the names of the one or more countries of destination to which the exported liquefied natural gas is delivered.

“(2) TIMING.—The applicant shall file the report required under paragraph (1) not later than—

“(A) in the case of the first export, the last day of the month following the month of the first export; and

“(B) in the case of subsequent exports, the date that is 30 days after the last day of the applicable month concerning the activity of the previous month.

“(3) DISCLOSURE.—The Secretary of Energy shall publish the information reported under this subsection on the website of the Department of Energy and otherwise make the information available to the public.”.