Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Natural Gas Consumer Protection Act”.
Natural Gas Consumer Protection Act
A BILL
To amend the Natural Gas Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Secretary of Energy to consider certain factors in making a public interest determination under that Act, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Considerations for public interest determination
Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) is amended—
by striking the section heading and all that follows through “After six months” in subsection (a) and inserting the following:
“3. Exportation or importation of natural gas; LNG terminals
“(a) In general
“(1) Order required—After 6 months”
in subsection (a)—
in paragraph (1) (as designated by paragraph (1)), in the second sentence, by striking “The Commission” and inserting the following:
“(2) Issuance of order on application and determination of public interest
“(A) In general—The Commission”
in paragraph (2)(A) (as designated by subparagraph (A)), in the second sentence, by striking “The Commission” and inserting the following:
“(B) Authority to issue orders and supplemental orders—The Commission”
in paragraph (2) (as designated by subparagraph (A)), by adding at the end the following:
“(C) Considerations—In making a public interest determination under subparagraph (A) in the case of an application for exportation, the Commission or the Secretary of Energy, as applicable, shall consider—
“(i) the need in the United States for the natural gas to be exported;
“(ii) the impact of the proposed natural gas exports on—
“(I) natural gas prices in the United States, including regional natural gas prices and natural gas prices for domestic consumers and manufacturers and other industries;
“(II) the differential in natural gas prices between the United States and foreign countries;
“(III) the global economic competitiveness of domestic manufacturers and other domestic industries;
“(IV) domestic employment in manufacturing and other industries, including regional employment;
“(V) the demand for natural gas in the United States, including regional natural gas demand;
“(VI) the supply of natural gas in the United States, including regional natural gas supply; and
“(VII) United States energy security; and
“(iii) any other factor that the Commission or the Secretary of Energy determines to be appropriate.”