The Hill: Natural gas just one part of European energy security, State official says

Amos Hochstein, who heads the State Department’s energy diplomacy efforts, told a House panel Wednesday that his department has been working for years to provide energy security for Europe, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from the United States are only part of the equation.

“While critically important, U.S. energy resources, including LNG exports, are just one tool among many that we can and are utilizing to address the energy security challenges in Europe and elsewhere,” Hochstein told a House Oversight subcommittee.

Hochstein’s testimony was part of a hearing the panel held about the government’s policies concerning LNG exports. The Department of Energy must review all applications to ship LNG to countries with which the United States does not have a free-trade agreement.

Republicans and some Democrats want to expedite that process, especially in recent months, as Russia has been increasingly aggressive toward its neighbors and annexed the Crimea region from Ukraine.
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