I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 381 
To amend the Natural Gas Act to require that impacts to climate stability, 
consumer energy costs, and environmental justice be considered in a 
determination of whether proposed exportation of natural gas is in the 
public interest, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 14, 2025 
Mr. CASTEN (for himself, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. GRI-
JALVA, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. MAGAZINER, Mr. MCGOVERN, 
Mr. MULLIN, Mr. NADLER, Ms. NORTON, Ms. PINGREE, Ms. SCHA-
KOWSKY, and Ms. TLAIB) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Natural Gas Act to require that impacts 
to climate stability, consumer energy costs, and environ-
mental justice be considered in a determination of wheth-
er proposed exportation of natural gas is in the public 
interest, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘LNG Public Interest 
Determination Act of 2025’’. 
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SEC. 2. EXPORTATION OF NATURAL GAS. 
(a) EXPORTATION OF NATURAL GAS.—Section 3 of 
the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) EXPORTATION OF NATURAL GAS.— 
‘‘(1) ORDER REQUIRED.—No person shall ex-
port any natural gas from the United States to a 
foreign country without first having secured an 
order of the Secretary of Energy authorizing it to do 
so. The Secretary of Energy may issue such order 
upon application only if, after opportunity for hear-
ing, the Secretary of Energy finds that the proposed 
exportation will be consistent with the public inter-
est. The Secretary of Energy may by its order grant 
such application, in whole or in part, with such 
modification and upon such terms and conditions as 
the Secretary of Energy may find necessary or ap-
propriate, and may from time to time, after oppor-
tunity for hearing, and for good cause shown, issue 
such supplemental order for such exportation as it 
may find necessary or appropriate. 
‘‘(2) DEADLINE.—The Secretary of Energy 
shall find whether proposed exportation of natural 
gas will be consistent with the public interest under 
paragraph (1) by not later than the date that is 1 
year after the later of— 
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‘‘(A) the date on which the Secretary of 
Energy receives the final environmental impact 
statement for such proposed exportation from 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; 
and 
‘‘(B) the date on which the Secretary com-
pletes each assessment required by paragraph 
(4). 
‘‘(3) PUBLIC
INTEREST
FINDING.—The Sec-
retary of Energy may find that proposed exportation 
of natural gas for which an application is submitted 
under paragraph (1) will be consistent with the pub-
lic interest under such paragraph only if the Sec-
retary of Energy determines, based on the applicable 
assessment under paragraph (4), that the proposed 
exportation of natural gas will not be likely to— 
‘‘(A) significantly contribute to climate 
change, including by slowing the global energy 
transition needed to achieve deep reductions of 
global greenhouse gas emissions within the next 
decade and net-zero global greenhouse gas 
emissions not later than 2050; 
‘‘(B) materially increase energy prices or 
energy price volatility for any segment of 
United States consumers; or 
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‘‘(C) create a disproportionate cumulative 
burden of adverse human or environmental im-
pacts on rural, low-income, minority, and other 
vulnerable communities. 
‘‘(4) ASSESSMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) CLIMATE CHANGE ASSESSMENT.—A 
determination under paragraph (3)(A) shall be 
based on an assessment of the expected impact 
of the proposed exportation of natural gas on 
climate change. Such assessment shall be based 
on the latest scientific information and use the 
20-year global warming potential of methane, 
and shall include— 
‘‘(i) quantified estimates of the green-
house gas emissions associated with the 
full lifecycle of the natural gas proposed 
for exportation, including emissions associ-
ated with the extraction, transportation, 
liquefaction, storage, regasification, and 
consumption of such natural gas; 
‘‘(ii) a comparison of the estimated 
greenhouse gas emissions in clause (i) to a 
baseline that is consistent with United 
States 
international 
commitments 
to 
achieve deep reductions of global green-
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house gas emissions within the next decade 
and deep decarbonization pathways toward 
net-zero global greenhouse gas emissions 
not later than 2050; 
‘‘(iii) an assessment of the potential 
effects of the proposed exportation of nat-
ural gas on clean energy alternatives, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(I) any decrease in global in-
vestment in and deployment of renew-
able energy, electrification, and energy 
efficiency 
and 
conservation 
tech-
nologies; and 
‘‘(II) any decrease in United 
States exports of clean energy tech-
nologies; 
‘‘(iv) quantified estimates of the social 
cost of the estimated greenhouse gas emis-
sions in clause (i); and 
‘‘(v) an identification of the extent to 
which climate change is accelerating the 
loss of economic value in the United States 
due to rising sea levels, more intense 
storms, eroding coasts, increased risk and 
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severity of wild fires, and other impacts as-
sociated with climate change. 
‘‘(B) ECONOMIC
ASSESSMENT.—A deter-
mination under paragraph (3)(B) shall be based 
on an assessment of the expected economic im-
pact of the proposed exportation of natural gas, 
including an assessment of the impact of the 
proposed exportation on all United States con-
sumers, with specific estimates regarding each 
of the following consumer subgroups: 
‘‘(i) Low-income consumers. 
‘‘(ii) Working families. 
‘‘(iii) Small businesses. 
‘‘(iv) Manufacturers. 
‘‘(v) State and local governments. 
‘‘(vi) Producers and users of fertilizer. 
‘‘(C) ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE
ASSESS-
MENT.—A 
determination 
under 
paragraph 
(3)(C) shall be based on an assessment of the 
expected impact of the proposed exportation of 
natural gas on environmental justice (which 
shall be consistent with Executive Order 14096 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 note; relating to revitalizing 
our Nation’s commitment to environmental jus-
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tice for all), as published April 21, 2023), in-
cluding assessments of impacts on— 
‘‘(i) the preexisting cumulative envi-
ronmental burdens and social and health 
risks posed to rural, low-income, minority, 
and other vulnerable communities; 
‘‘(ii) local fisheries and the economic 
livelihood of the people employed by local 
fisheries; 
‘‘(iii) racial and socioeconomic dispari-
ties in impacted communities; and 
‘‘(iv) compliance with civil rights laws. 
‘‘(5) PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary 
of Energy shall— 
‘‘(A) provide to the public an opportunity 
to meaningfully participate, including by pro-
viding comments, in— 
‘‘(i) the finding of the Secretary of 
Energy on whether proposed exportation 
will be consistent with the public interest 
under paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(ii) any study by the Department of 
Energy intended to inform such finding; 
and 
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‘‘(B) ensure that opportunities to meaning-
fully participate under subparagraph (A) ad-
dress barriers that affect members of commu-
nities with environmental justice concerns, in-
cluding those related to disability, language ac-
cess, and lack of resources. 
‘‘(6) MAJOR
FEDERAL
ACTION.—Issuing an 
order authorizing the exportation of natural gas 
under this subsection shall be considered a major 
Federal action under section 102(2)(C) of the Na-
tional Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4332(2)(C)).’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 3 of the 
Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘export any natural gas 
from the United States to a foreign country 
or’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘to the United States’’ 
after ‘‘from a foreign country’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘exportation or’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘, or the exportation of 
natural gas to a nation with which there is in 
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effect a free trade agreement requiring national 
treatment for trade in natural gas,’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘or exportation’’. 
SEC. 3. PROCESS COORDINATION; HEARINGS; RULES OF 
PROCEDURE. 
Section 15(b)(1) of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 
717n(b)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘Commission’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’’. 
SEC. 4. TERMINATION OF CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION FOR 
APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF THE EXPOR-
TATION OF NATURAL GAS. 
The categorical exclusion under B5.7 of appendix B 
to subpart D of part 1021 of title 10, Code of Federal 
Regulations, (relating to export of natural gas and associ-
ated transportation by marine vessel) shall have no force 
or effect. 
SEC. 5. RULEMAKING. 
Not later than one year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall issue a rule to 
carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act. 
Æ 
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