The Congressional Research Service (CRS) published a report that examines federal laws and regulations pertaining to the export of natural gas, crude oil, and coal. This report provides an overview of federal laws and regulations and agency roles in authorizing and regulating the export of these fossil fuels. Any party wishing to export fossil fuels must comply, as appropriate, with the Natural Gas Act, a general ban on crude oil exports, and other various laws and regulations applicable to the construction and operation of exporting fossil fuels.

Researchers from Stanford University and the University of California-Santa Cruz have released a study that provides a new perspective on the future of Earth’s oil supply. The study concludes that the demand for oil, rather than the supply, will reach a peak and then begin to decline.

On September 4, 2013, the Department of the Interior held its second competitive lease sale for renewable energy in federal waters. The sale consisted of 112,799 acres of Virginia’s Outer Continental Shelf, and brought in more than $1.6 billion in revenue. The first lease sale took place in July, and auctioned 164,750 acres of land off the coast of Rhode Island. That sale was won by Deepwater Wind New England, LLC, which had the high bid of $3.8 million.

Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) recently revised their energy efficiency legislation, the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2013 (S. 761), in response to concerns that the original bill would not successfully pass the Senate. The new bill, S. 1392, was introduced on July 30, 2013 and is almost identical to the original bill introduced back in March. The new bill, however, excludes a provision providing state grants to implement energy efficiency standards in buildings.

On June 6, 2013, in a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced that the Department of the Interior will extend the comment period on  the revised proposed rule on Oil and Gas; Well Stimulation, Including Hydraulic Fracturing, on Federal and Indian Lands . The comment period was due to close June 24, 2013, and will now be extended 60 days, closing on August 23, 2013. 177,000 comments had been received as of June 6. 

In an attempt to focus on passing a budget for fiscal year 2014, Congress has decided to table an already delayed Senate vote on the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S. 1392) that was scheduled to take place the last week in September. The bill, originally introduced by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) in March and then revised and reintroduced in July, proposes the most significant energy legislation since the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-140).

Representatives introduced four energy bills in May 2013: the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska (NPR-A) Access Act (H.R. 1964); the Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act (H.R. 1965); the Planning for American Energy Act of 2013 (H.R. 1394); and the BLM Live Internet Auctions Act (H.R. 555). On May 22, 2013, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a hearing to discuss the proposed bills.

On Tuesday, August 6, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released a white paper entitled The Narrowing Window: America’s Opportunity to Join the Global Gas Trade. The paper provides a set of pro-growth policy recommendations based on in-depth studies and  analysis from a variety of sources, including government agencies, academia, think tanks, and the private sector.

Witnesses:
PANEL I
Ernest Moniz 
Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy

Witnesses:
PANEL I
Ernest Moniz 
Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy