WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today welcomed the Department of Energy’s approval of a license allowing Dominion Power to expand its Cove Point facility to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to nations that aren’t party to U.S. free-trade agreements.

“The United States has a narrowing window of opportunity to join the global gas trade. In order for us to take advantage of the geopolitical and economic benefits offered by selling American gas to our friends and allies overseas, projects like Dominion’s Cove Point must be approved without unnecessary delay,” Murkowski said. “I welcome this decision, but I must point out that Cove Point filed its application in October 2011, and is just now seeing a decision. On average, each of the four projects approved so far had to wait 22 months for a decision. I’m encouraged that DOE seems to have picked up the pace of its reviews. It’s important that DOE now move with timely purpose onto the next.”

During the August recess, Murkowski released The Narrowing Window: America’s Opportunity to Join the Global Gas Trade, a white paper urging DOE expedite its approvals without arbitrary delays.

Approved LNG Export Orders to Non-FTA Countries

	Date of Non-FTA Application	Date of Approval	Days of Delay	Months
Sabine Pass	9/7/2010	5/20/2011	255	8.5
Freeport LNG	12/17/2010	5/17/2013	882	29.4
Lake Charles Exports	5/6/2011	8/7/2013	824	27.5
Dominion Cove Point	10/3/2011	9/11/2013	709	23.6
AVERAGE				22.3