A bill to expedite decisions on applications for authorization to export natural gas, and for other purposes.

Directs the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to issue a decision on an application for authorization to export natural gas within 90 days after the later of: (1) the end of the comment period for that decision as set forth in the Federal Register, or (2) the date of enactment of this Act.

Grants original and exclusive jurisdiction to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the circuit in which the export facility under an application will be located over any civil action for the review of: (1) an order by the Secretary about the application, or (2) the  failure of the Secretary to issue a decision on the application.

Requires the Court, if it finds in a civil action that the Secretary has failed to issue a decision on an application, to order the Secretary to issue one within 30 days.

Requires the Court to set any civil action brought under this Act on the docket, for expedited consideration, as soon as practical after the filing date of the initial pleading.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2274 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2274

   To expedite decisions on applications for authorization to export 
                  natural gas, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 30, 2014

   Mr. Udall of Colorado (for himself, Mr. Begich, and Ms. Heitkamp) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
               Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To expedite decisions on applications for authorization to export 
                  natural gas, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION TO EXPORT NATURAL GAS.

    (a) Decision Deadline.--The Secretary of Energy shall issue a 
decision on any application for authorization to export natural gas 
under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717b) not later than 
90 days after the later of--
            (1) the end of the comment period for the decision as set 
        forth in the applicable notice published in the Federal 
        Register; or
            (2) the date of enactment of this Act.
    (b) Judicial Action.--
            (1) In general.--The United States Court of Appeals for the 
        circuit in which the export facility will be located pursuant 
        to an application described in subsection (a) shall have 
        original and exclusive jurisdiction over any civil action for 
        the review of --
                    (A) an order issued by the Secretary of Energy with 
                respect to the application; or
                    (B) the failure of the Secretary to issue a 
                decision on the application.
            (2) Order.--If the Court in a civil action described in 
        paragraph (1) finds that the Secretary has failed to issue a 
        decision on the application as required under subsection (a), 
        the Court shall order the Secretary to issue the decision not 
        later than 30 days after the order of the Court.
            (3) Expedited consideration.--The Court shall--
                    (A) set any civil action brought under this 
                subsection for expedited consideration; and
                    (B) set the matter on the docket as soon as 
                practicable after the filing date of the initial 
                pleading.
                                 <all>