Freedom Through Energy Export Act

Bill: 113-s-2096
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK]
Introduced: 2014-03-06
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alaska

Alaska Natives and Hawaiians

Alliances

Arctic and polar regions

Asia

Canada

Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits

Employment and training programs

Environmental assessment, monitoring, research

Free trade and trade barriers

Government lending and loan guarantees

Japan

Military assistance, sales, and agreements

Oil and gas

Pipelines

Trade agreements and negotiations
Latest action: action_date: 2014-03-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Summaries:
action_date: 2014-03-06
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>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]).</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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. </p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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).</p> <p>Authorizes federal loan guarantees for a liquefied natural gas pipeline approved to the border between Alaska and Canada. <p>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.</p>

tv_txt: II 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2096 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 6, 2014 Mr. Begich introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources A BILL To amend the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Act of 2004 to provide for the authorization of liquified natural gas terminals and related facilities necessary for the export of Alaska natural gas, and for other purposes.

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.). 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). . 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 . 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 . 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. . 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. . 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 . 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 . 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 . 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.