WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today applauded the Department of Energy’s authorization for Alaska’s proposed liquefied natural gas project (LNG) to export to countries with free trade agreements (FTA) with the United States.

The decision authorizes exports to South Korea and other nations FTA with the United States. A separate authorization is needed to ship LNG to non-FTA countries.

“This FTA license is good news for Alaska, but by law it had to be approved. The real test is the non-FTA license,” Murkowski said. “I am watching the process carefully to ensure that there’s no unnecessary delays in approving exports to Japan and other non-FTA countries. I have said from the beginning that DOE should continue to consider Alaska gas exports on their own separate track – as they always have.”

Murkowski is the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.