Freedom Through Energy Export Act

Summary: Freedom Through Energy Export Act - Amends the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Act of 2004 to redefine the Alaska natural gas transportation project to include any liquified natural gas terminal and facilities necessary or required for the export of Alaska natural gas (including related facilities subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [FERC]). Authorizes FERC to consider and act on an application for authorization for a liquefied natural gas terminal and related facilities determined necessary for the export of Alaska natural gas other than the Alaska natural gas transportation system. Directs FERC to issue an authorization for the siting, construction, and operation of an Alaska natural gas transportation project if the applicant has satisfied certain Natural Gas Act requirements for a liquefied natural gas terminal and related facilities necessary or required for the export of Alaska natural gas. Directs FERC, within 60 days after the issuance of a final environmental impact statement under the the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, to approve or deny, under the expedited approval process, an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for projects designated under the Natural Gas Act and this Act.  Confers responsibility upon the Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects for: (1) coordinating the expeditious discharge of all activities by federal agencies regarding a pipeline project carrying natural gas from the Alaska North Slope to market south of 68 degrees north latitude, and (2) ensuring that federal agencies are fully informed in carrying out an Alaska natural gas transportation project, including about any commercial, technological, or regulatory issues that could affect such project. Declares that neither this Act nor the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Act of 1976 precludes construction of either a gas liquefaction terminal or other facilities determined necessary or required for the transportation and export of natural gas from the Alaska North Slope. Directs the Secretary of Labor to make grants to the Alaska Workforce Investment Board: (1) to train adult and dislocated workers in Alaska to construct and operate a natural gas transportation project (currently, a gas pipeline system), and (2) for construction of a training facility to support such a project. Expresses the sense of Congress that Alaska Native Regional Corporations, companies owned and operated by Alaskans and individual Alaskans should have the opportunity to own shares of the Alaska natural gas transportation project (currently, gas pipeline system). Authorizes federal loan guarantees for a liquefied natural gas pipeline approved to the border between Alaska and Canada. Amends the Natural Gas Act to deem consistent with the public interest an expedited application and approval process without modification or delay for the exportation of natural gas to a foreign country that is: (1) a nation with which there is in effect a free trade agreement requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas (as under existing law); (2) a member country of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); (3) Japan, as long as the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan remains in effect; and (4) any other foreign country if the Secretary of State determines that such exportation promotes U.S. national security interests.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Freedom Through 
Energy Export Act''.
    (b) References.--Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever 
in this Act an amendment is expressed in terms of an amendment to a 
section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be 
made to a section or other provision of the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline 
Act of 2004 (15 U.S.C. 720 et seq.).

SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF ALASKA NATURAL GAS TRANSPORTATION PROJECT.

    Section 102(2) (15 U.S.C. 720(2)) is amended--
            (1) by striking subparagraphs (A) and (B);
            (2) by inserting ``any of the following projects authorized 
        under the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Act of 1976 (15 
        U.S.C. 719 et seq.) or section 103:'' after ``means'';
            (3) by striking ``any natural gas pipeline system'' and 
        inserting the following:
                    ``(A) Any natural gas pipeline system'';
            (4) in subparagraph (A) (as so designated) by striking 
        ``that is authorized under--'' and inserting a period at the 
        end; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) Except with respect to projects described in 
                section 116, any liquified natural gas terminal and any 
                facilities necessary or required for the export of 
                Alaska natural gas (including related facilities 
                subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission).''.

SEC. 3. ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY.

    Section 103 (15 U.S.C. 720a) is amended--
            (1) in the heading, by inserting ``or other commission 
        authorization'' after ``necessity'';
            (2) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``may, in accordance'' and 
                inserting ``may--
            ``(1) in accordance'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1) (as so designated), by 
                striking the period at the end and inserting ``; or''; 
                and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) in accordance with section 3 of the Natural Gas Act 
        (15 U.S.C. 717b), consider and act on an application for 
        authorization for a liquefied natural gas terminal and any 
        related facilities determined necessary or required for the 
        export of Alaska natural gas other than the Alaska natural gas 
        transportation system.'';
            (3) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in the heading, by inserting ``or Other 
                Authorization'' after ``Certificate''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by striking ``shall issue a 
                        certificate'' and inserting ``shall issue--
                    ``(A) a certificate'';
                            (ii) in subparagraph (A) (as so 
                        designated), by striking the period at the end 
                        and inserting ``; or''; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) an authorization for the siting, 
                construction, and operation of an Alaska natural gas 
                transportation project, if the applicant has satisfied 
                the requirements of section 3 of the Natural Gas Act 
                (15 U.S.C. 717b) for a liquefied natural gas terminal 
                and any related facilities determined necessary or 
                required for the export of Alaska natural gas.'';
            (4) in subsection (c), by striking ``for the project under 
        section 7(c))'' and all that follows through the period at the 
        end and inserting ``for the projects under--
            ``(1) section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b);
            ``(2) section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 
        717f(c)); and
            ``(3) this section.''; and
            (5) in subsection (g), by striking ``The holder of the 
        certificate'' and inserting ``The holder of a certificate''.

SEC. 4. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS.

    Section 104(a) (15 U.S.C. 720b(a)) is amended by inserting ``under 
section 7 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717f) or the issuance of an 
authorization under section 3 of that Act (15 U.S.C. 717b)'' after 
``certificate of public convenience and necessity''.

SEC. 5. FEDERAL COORDINATOR.

    Section 106(c) (15 U.S.C. 720d(c)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``or a pipeline project 
        that carries natural gas from the Alaska North Slope to market 
        south of 68 degrees north latitude'' after ``Alaska natural gas 
        transportation project'';
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) to ensure that Federal agencies are fully informed in 
        carrying out an Alaska natural gas transportation project, 
        providing Federal agencies with information about--
                    ``(A) the Alaska natural gas transportation 
                project; and
                    ``(B) any commercial, technological, or regulatory 
                issues that could affect the project.''.

SEC. 6. CLARIFICATION OF ANGTA STATUS AND AUTHORITIES.

    Section 110(b) (15 U.S.C. 720h(b)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as 
        subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, and indenting 
        appropriately;
            (2) by striking ``Any Federal agency'' and inserting the 
        following:
            ``(1) In general.--Any Federal agency''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Effect.--Nothing in this Act or the Alaska Natural 
        Gas Transportation Act of 1976 (15 U.S.C. 719 et seq.) shall 
        preclude the construction of a gas liquefaction terminal or any 
        other facilities determined necessary or required for the 
        transportation and export of natural gas from the Alaska North 
        Slope.''.

SEC. 7. ALASKA PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION TRAINING PROGRAM.

    Section 113 (15 U.S.C. 720k) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``gas pipeline 
                system'' and inserting ``natural gas transportation 
                project''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``gas 
                pipeline'' and inserting ``natural gas transportation 
                project''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``pipeline system'' 
        and inserting ``transportation project''.

SEC. 8. SENSE OF CONGRESS CONCERNING ALASKAN OWNERSHIP.

    Section 115(1) (15 U.S.C. 720m(1)) is amended by striking 
``pipeline'' and inserting ``transportation project''.

SEC. 9. LOAN GUARANTEES.

    Section 116(a)(1) (15 U.S.C. 720n(a)(1)) is amended by inserting 
``that includes a pipeline to the border between Alaska and Canada 
approved pursuant to section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 
717f(c))'' after ``qualified infrastructure project''.

SEC. 10. EXPEDITED APPROVAL OF EXPORTATION OF NATURAL GAS TO UNITED 
              STATES ALLIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 3(c) of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 
717b(c)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(c) For purposes'' and inserting the 
        following:
    ``(c) Expedited Application and Approval Process.--
            ``(1) In general.--For purposes.'';
            (2) in paragraph (1) (as so designated), by striking 
        ``nation with which there is in effect a free trade agreement 
        requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas'' and 
        inserting ``foreign country described in paragraph (2)''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Foreign country described.--A foreign country 
        described in this paragraph is--
                    ``(A) a country with which the United States has in 
                effect a free trade agreement requiring national 
                treatment for trade in natural gas;
                    ``(B) a member country of the North Atlantic Treaty 
                Organization;
                    ``(C) subject to paragraph (3), Japan; and
                    ``(D) any other foreign country if the Secretary of 
                State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, 
                determines that exportation of natural gas to that 
                foreign country would promote the national security 
                interests of the United States.
            ``(3) Exportation of natural gas to japan.--The exportation 
        of natural gas to Japan shall be deemed to be consistent with 
        the public interest pursuant to paragraph (1), and applications 
        for such exportation shall be granted without modification or 
        delay under that paragraph, during only such period as the 
        Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security, signed at Washington 
        January 19, 1960, and entered into force June 23, 1960 (11 UST 
        1632; TIAS 4509), between the United States and Japan, remains 
        in effect.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply to applications for the authorization to export natural gas under 
section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) that are pending on, 
or filed on or after, the date of enactment of this Act.