Tag Archives: H.R. 6

Another speed-permit LNG export bill: H.R. 3301

July 8, 2014Fracking, Law, LNG, SolarFracking, Government, H.R. 3301, H.R. 6, house, John Barrow, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, Sanford Bishop, Senate, solar, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

LNG export to Canada or Mexico with almost no permitting and no environmental review of anything but the part that crosses the border. That’s H.R. 3301, just passed by the U.S. House of Representatves, but not yet taken up by the Senate, and already the presdent’s administration “strongly opposes” it; so strongly his advisors recommend vetoing it. Apparently H.R. 6 for blanket export to all WTO countries isn’t likely to pass, so fracked methane pushers are trying a similar approach for fewer countries. Get it across the nearest borders, and then export to other countries? Previously listening Sanford Bishop (GA-02 Albany) voted for both bills in the full House.

On Congress.gov, H.R. 3301 – North American Energy Infrastructure Act 113th Congress (2013-2014) and on govtrack.us.

North American Energy Infrastructure Act—(Sec. 3) Prohibits any person from constructing, connecting, operating, or maintaining a cross-border segment of an oil or natural gas pipeline or electric transmission facility at the national boundary of the United States for the import or export of oil, natural gas, or electricity to or from Canada or Mexico without obtaining a certificate of crossing under this Act.

Requires the Secretary of State, Continue reading Another speed-permit LNG export bill: H.R. 3301 →

Food and Water Watch against LNG exports

May 10, 2014Climate Change, Economy, Fracking, Hazards, Health, LNG, SafetyClimate Change, Economy, Energy and Commerce, Energy and Power, Food and Water Watch, Fracking, Government, H.R. 6, Hazards, Health, House of Representatives, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Safety, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

FWW has been on the case against H.R. 6 that would authorize LNG exports to all WTO member countries since that bill passed the subcommittee in early April, before it passed the main committee April 30th.

Food & Water Watch press release 9 April 2014, House Subcommittee’s Approval of LNG Exports Means More Money for Big Oil and Gas, More Fracking In U.S. Communities: Statement of Food & Water Watch Executive Director, Wenonah Hauter,

Washington, D.C. — “On Wednesday, the U.S. House’s Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and Power voted in favor of a bill to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) abroad under the guise of aiding Ukraine. But this bill, H.R.6, would only serve to increase profits for the oil and gas industry, greatly accelerating fracking here at home, endangering American communities, public health and the climate. We strongly recommend that both houses of Congress reject any and all plans to export LNG overseas.

“Selling LNG abroad will drive up the industry’s profit margins, ultimately increasing gas prices here in the U.S.. Ramping up fracking in the U.S., Continue reading Food and Water Watch against LNG exports →

Who funds FERC?

May 4, 2014Economy, FERC, Lawaccountability, Commerce and Energy, Congress, Economy, Energy and Power, Ethics, FERC, fossil fuels, funding, H.R. 6, independence, John S. Quarterman, Law, ordinance, oversight, regulation, regulatory capture, Sabal Trail Transmission, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

If you guessed the taxpayers, as I did, nope. On FERC’s own About FERC web page:

The Commission is funded through costs recovered by the fees and annual charges from the industries it regulates.

To make it even richer, the sentence before that reads:

There is no review of FERC decisions by the President or Congress, maintaining FERC’s independence as a regulatory agency, and providing for fair and unbiased decisions.

But FERC’s web page says nothing about FERC’s independence from the industries it regulates.

Here’s Investopedia’s definition of regulatory capture:

Regulatory capture happens when a regulatory agency, formed to act in the public’s interest, eventually acts in ways that benefit the industry it is supposed to be regulating, rather than the public.

Maybe that’s why Continue reading Who funds FERC? →