U.S. Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker, Rep. Steven Palazzo and Gov. Phil Bryant are asking the Obama Administration to expedite approval of project applications to export liquefied natural gas. The senators sent a letter to U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz regarding the issue, they said in a joint news release. LNG exports are important to America’s national security interests at home and abroad, the letter said. The Obama Administration has been slow to approve applications to export LNG to countries that do not yet have free trade agreements with the U.S., it said. Gulf LNG Liquefaction Co. in Pascagoula wants to add liquefaction and export capabilities to the $1 billion Gulf LNG Energy storage terminal. (Source: Mississippi Press, 08/07/14)