WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement on the Department of Energy’s approval of a license to Lake Charles Exports to ship up to 2 billion cubic feet of liquefied natural gas (LNG) a day to nations with which the United States does not have free trade agreements:

“The approval of the Lake Charles export license is great news for the economy. I’m hopeful that it also shows a willingness by the Department of Energy and Secretary Moniz to make the timely review of applications a priority,” Murkowski said. “We must remember that the window for building out our LNG capacity is not open-ended – it could close if we don’t seize this opportunity to have America’s natural gas play a major role in the growing global gas market.”

The Lake Charles export license is only the third approval DOE has issued for LNG shipments to non-free trade countries since 2011. Lake Charles Exports submitted its application 27 months ago, in May 2011. DOE has more than 20 applications to export LNG to non-free trade countries pending. 

“Countries like Qatar and Malaysia are already exporting LNG and there are projects under construction around the world that are competing for market share with American gas supplies,” Murkowski said. “Energy exports provide a real shot in the arm to the struggling U.S. economy, so it’s my hope that DOE will step up its processing of applications.”

Murkowski, the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, on Tuesday released a white paper outlining her support for exporting LNG to non-free trade agreement countries. The paper builds on the policy recommendations Murkowski made earlier this year in her energy blueprint – Energy 20/20: A Vision for American’s Energy Future.