Resolution Encouraging Development of Liquefied Natural Gas Exposed

The Resolution Encouraging Development of Liquefied Natural Gas was adopted by ALEC's Natural Resources Task Force at the States and Nation Policy Summit on December 11, 2004, approved by the full ALEC Board of Directors in January, 2005. A similar, more recent "Resolution In Support of Expanded Liquefied Natural Gas Exports" is available on ALEC.org. (Accessed on 7/28/2015)

CMD's Bill Summary

This Resolution can be seen as a prelude for the methane gas "gold rush" that was to come. Written a year before the "Halliburton Loophole" was written into the 2005 Energy Policy Act, paving the way for "hydraulic fracturing" to be exempt from clean drinking water act requirements, this Resolution extols the benefits of drilling for natural gas without any recognition of the harms to state residents from inadequate regulation of the toxic chemicals used in the fracking process or the risks to aquifers and other consequences.

ALEC Bill Text

WHEREAS, Natural gas is a clean burning, environmentally preferred fuel with many different uses, ranging from heating our homes, fueling the manufacturing sector, generating over 20 percent of the nation’s electricity, serving as a feedstock for plastics, polyurethane, fertilizer, and more, and;

WHEREAS, Natural gas is a global commodity found in abundance throughout the world; and

WHEREAS, The availability of adequate supplies of natural gas is a critical part of the economic well being and energy security of the United States; and

WHEREAS, There are currently concerns about whether gas supplies from domestic production will be adequate to meet projected increases in demand for natural gas; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that the U.S. could face a gap in supply of natural gas of about five trillion cubic feet (Tcf) by 2020; and

WHEREAS, Many developers of liquefied natural gas have proposed building regasification terminals in North America to help bridge the potential supply gap; and

WHEREAS, In order for new LNG terminals to be expeditiously approved and in service, cooperation in the permitting process between local, state and federal authorities is essential. Therefore

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) recognizes that LNG is an important future source of energy for the United States; furthermore

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That ALEC encourages coordination among state agencies that oversee permitting for regasification, and between local, state and Federal government agencies, in order to facilitate and streamline regasification terminal permitting; and be it finally

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That ALEC encourages states to hold public hearings to educate consumers and stakeholders on the safety and benefits of LNG and stable supplies of natural gas.

Adopted by the Natural Resources Task Force at the States and Nation Policy Summit, December 11, 2004.

Approved by the full ALEC Board of Directors January, 2005