CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed nearly two dozen bills on Tuesday, including legislation requiring a study on the benefits of a possible ethane storage hub in Appalachia.
If the Appalachian Energy for National Security Act becomes law, the Department of Energy would have to conduct a study on the effects of such facility as well as the risks associated with foreign ownership and control of American petrochemical resources.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., serves as the committee’s ranking Democratic member.
“With the shale gas boom and the production of natural shale gas liquids, West Virginia and our neighboring states are well-positioned to contribute to a renaissance of the Appalachian petrochemical industry,” he said.
Manchin also noted 95% of American ethylene production capabilities are currently in the Gulf of Mexico.
“The potential economic and strategic benefits of an Appalachian storage hub are exponential,” he said. “As Secretary (Rick) Perry has said, a storage hub in Appalachia would be a win-win.”