Washington (Platts)--12Dec2012/1220 pm EST/1720 GMT
US Senator Richard Lugar on Wednesday introduced a bill to automatically approve LNG exports to members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. "Lack of diversity in natural gas supplies to NATO allies and friends is a critical concern for United States national security interests," said Lugar, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a statement. "For the first time, vigorous U.S. diplomacy can be coupled with allowing free trade in liquefied natural gas from the United States. "Now is the time to dramatically shift gas markets to blunt the temptation for political manipulation of supplies by Russia and Iran," added Lugar, Republican-Indiana. Article continues below... Request a free trial of: Gas Daily Gas Daily offers the most detailed coverage of natural gas prices at interstate and intrastate pipeline and pooling points in major U.S. markets. Gas Daily keeps you informed about complex state and federal regulations that affect competition in the gas industry.
US Senator Richard Lugar on Wednesday introduced a bill to automatically approve LNG exports to members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. "Lack of diversity in natural gas supplies to NATO allies and friends is a critical concern for United States national security interests," said Lugar, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a statement. "For the first time, vigorous U.S. diplomacy can be coupled with allowing free trade in liquefied natural gas from the United States. "Now is the time to dramatically shift gas markets to blunt the temptation for political manipulation of supplies by Russia and Iran," added Lugar, Republican-Indiana.
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Gas Daily offers the most detailed coverage of natural gas prices at interstate and intrastate pipeline and pooling points in major U.S. markets. Gas Daily keeps you informed about complex state and federal regulations that affect competition in the gas industry.
The bill would amend the Natural Gas Act to give NATO allies the same treatment as free trade agreement nations for natural gas exports, the statement said. By law, the Department of Energy must quickly approve LNG exports to free trade agreement countries. However, DOE can limit or block exports to non-FTA nations. Lugar is leaving the Senate, where he has spent 36 years, in January, after losing his primary election earlier this year.--Kate Winston, catherine_winston@platts.com --Edited by Richard Rubin, richard_rubin@platts.com
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