Resolution In Support of Expanded Liquefied Natural Gas Exports

Summary

The United States is currently experiencing a potentially transformative energy boom, including in natural gas. Unfortunately, our cumbersome and outdated natural gas export regulatory system prevents us from capitalizing on this energy revolution by exporting natural gas in its liquefied form (LNG) freely to non-FTA partners to promote economic growth. Our current export control regime also keeps us from using this resource strategically to support our partners around the world. Recent events in Ukraine bring the strategic aspects of this situation into sharp relief. This draft resolution serves as a specific addendum to Resolution for Reform of Counterproductive Export Control Policies. This earlier model policy was crafted to address all manner of misguided export control policies, including but not limited to those governing energy.

Resolution In Support of Expanded Liquefied Natural Gas Exports

WHEREAS, plentiful natural gas supplies and unprecedented advances in technology have provided a historic opportunity for the U.S. to achieve energy self-sufficiency while creating jobs and wealth for our economy; and

WHEREAS, pioneering exploration and extraction methods have opened such vast natural gas resources to development that demand on U.S. natural gas markets can grow with little impact to domestic prices; and

WHEREAS, according to the US Energy Information Administration, the United States was the largest exporter of natural gas in the world in 2023; and

WHEREAS, expanding exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a key component to helping the United States realize its potential as a global energy leader while creating hundreds of thousands of jobs and strengthening the U.S. economy; and

WHEREAS, global demand for LNG is expected to grow significantly over the next two decades and America’s ability to export natural gas to our allies is a strategic asset that helps to support our friends and undermine potential adversaries evidenced by the US supplying more than half of Europe’s LNG imports; and

WHEREAS,the construction and operation of LNG facilities have created thousands of American jobs – indirectly and directly – including 35,000 jobs in 2023 alone, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS); and

WHEREAS, according to the US Department of Commerce, LNG exports contributed $30 billion to the US economy in 2023 and according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global demand is projected to grow 3% by 2030; and

WHEREAS, expanded LNG exports would promote stability in natural gas pricing and spur increased investments by the natural gas industry, providing more jobs and revenue for roads and schools in natural gas producing regions; and

WHEREAS, creating additional markets for U.S. natural gas is also consistent with national trade and security policy because failure to do so would force our allies to continue to rely on regimes hostile to U.S. interests for their energy needs; and

WHEREAS, construction and operation of LNG export facilities would incentivize new direct infrastructure investments worth billions of dollars and generate royalties and local tax revenues directly into communities across the country; and

WHEREAS, in January 2024, the current presidential administration paused the issuance of non-free-trade-agreement (FTA) permits for LNG export development; and

WHEREAS, a diverse coalition of LNG producers, energy and petroleum companies, business groups, service companies, elected officials and others have expressed their support for LNG exports.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the state of  _____ endorses expanded markets for LNG exports from the United States and encourages regulatory and legislative policies designed to streamline and simplify the permitting process.

Approved by the ALEC Board of Directors on October 11, 2014.

Amended and approved by the ALEC Board of Directors on September 24, 2024.