Republican leaders in the House of Representatives say the federal government needs to pick up the pace with reviewing permits for natural gas pipelines.
"Ongoing delays because of a complex permitting process must not prohibit families in Kansas, and across the country, from obtaining reliable and economical heating for their homes in the winter and cooling for them in the summer," Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., said in a statement after introducing a pipeline bill Thursday.
If approved, Pompeo's measure would require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve or deny applications for new projects no later than one year after receiving an application. House leaders argue gas pipeline infrastructure additions aren't keeping pace with increasing production.
Republican leaders taking control of the 114th Congress are putting energy at the top of their agenda. Similar efforts are developing in support of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, which planner TransCanada applied to build more than six years ago.
"We need to construct the architecture of abundance to fulfill our energy potential," Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., chairman of the House Energy Committee, said in a statement.
Republican leaders from the other chamber introduced a measure this week meant to improve the approval process for exporting liquefied natural gas. A bill introduced by Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., would require a decision of an LNG export application within 45 days of a completed environmental review.
"LNG exports will help to reduce flaring, create good jobs and help improve our national security by providing energy to our friends and allies," he said in a statement.
Much of the natural gas associated with oil in Hoeven's state is burned off, or flared, because of a lack of infrastructure needed to utilize the resource.
A special permit is needed to send LNG from national reserves to countries that don't have a free-trade agreement with the United States.
