Inhofe and others urge FERC to cut regulatory burden

Oklahoma U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe is among six Senators who have called on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reduce ‘regulatory burden.’ Their call came amidst a battle of political letters to the agency.

In a letter sent to the FERC, Inhofe joined Environment and Public Works chairman Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming and Energy Committee chair Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. They supported FERC’s decision to continue processing applications for new natural gas projects and liquefied natural gas export facilities.

Their letter was sent after Democratic lawmakers and state attorneys general urged FERC to stop processing the applications.

“Slowing the approval process and delaying construction at a time when millions of Americans are out of work is profoundly wrong,” the senators wrote. Instead, they call on the regulatory agency to “evaluate opportunities to reduce the regulatory burden on infrastructure projects.”

Sen. Inhofe as well as Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Shelly Moore Capito of West Virginia and John Kennedy of Louisiana signed the letter sent by Barrasso and Murkowski. In it, they also attacked the Democrats.

“The April 15, 2020 letter sent by 29 House Democrats and the May 7, 2020 letter sent by attorneys general from 10 states and the District of Columbia requesting FERC declare a moratorium on the approval and construction of gas-pipeline projects and LNG export facilities are part of a continued effort to shut down energy development from sources opposed by Green New Deal enthusiasts and their political allies. This same group of politicians and activists are pressuring financial institutions and lenders to violate their fiduciary duties to their clients and limit energy producers’ access to capital.”

Sen. Inhofe previously was chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee and is a ranking Republican on the committee.

Click here to view letter.

Source: POLITICO