HR 1949119th CongressIntroduced

Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025

Introduced: Mar 6, 2025

Environment & ClimateInfrastructure

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2025 would repeal existing restrictions on exporting and importing natural gas and reorganize how such activity is authorized. The bill designates the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as the sole federal arbiter for authorizing the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of facilities that export natural gas from the United States or import natural gas (including LNG terminals). Under the bill, once an application is approved, the export or import is deemed automatically consistent with the public interest. The measure also preserves certain presidential authorities to impose sanctions and defines a “state sponsor of terrorism” for purposes of those sanctions. In addition, while expanding FERC’s exclusive role, the bill clarifies that nothing in the act is intended to override other federal laws or agency authorities related to LNG facilities, except as expressly provided. It also preserves the President’s ability to use sanctions under various statutes to block imports or exports with sanctioned parties or nations, and it provides a statutory definition for “state sponsor of terrorism.”

Key Points

1Transfers authority to approve or deny export/import of natural gas (including LNG terminals) to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), making such activity automatically “in the public interest” when approved.
2Reorganizes the Natural Gas Act by removing previous subsections and restructuring the numbering to reflect FERC’s exclusive role in siting, construction, expansion, and operation of facilities for exporting or importing natural gas.
3Declares that, aside from what is explicitly stated in the act, other federal laws and agency authorities related to LNG facilities remain intact and not overridden by this act.
4Preserves the President’s broader sanctions authority under constitutional powers and key sanction laws (e.g., International Emergency Economic Powers Act, National Emergencies Act, Energy Policy and Conservation Act, Trading With the Enemy Act) to prohibit imports or exports with sanctioned entities or governments.
5Defines “state sponsor of terrorism” for purposes of sanctions using established criteria from multiple U.S. statutes.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- LNG exporters and importers, and operators of LNG terminals; the natural gas industry; FERC as the primary regulatory body; the U.S. natural gas market and pricing dynamics.Secondary group/area affected- Domestic energy consumers and industries relying on natural gas; states and local communities hosting LNG facilities; energy traders and financial markets connected to natural gas and LNG; foreign governments and international partners involved in LNG trade.Additional impacts- Potential shift in domestic energy pricing and supply dynamics due to streamlined (or expanded) export/import approvals.- Implications for national security and foreign policy through preserved sanctions authorities and the state sponsor of terrorism framework.- Possible changes to environmental reviews and permitting processes under broader regulatory regimes, given that FERC remains the key authorizing body for facilities.- Interactions with existing sanctions regimes could affect trade with certain countries or entities, depending on sanctions status.

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