In addendum to my post yesterday on more lawmakers joining the growing bipartisan group calling for the Department of Energy to hurry up with their conveniently delayed review processing so that Americans can start creating jobs and growing the economy by exporting liquified natural gas (LNG), we all could’ve guessed that this was coming. The ever-munificent eco-trendy contingent must have their say, you know.

Via The Hill, a group of twenty Democrats is telling the Department of Energy that they should really do some more environmental tests before approving LNG export deals:

In a letter to Energy Secretary Steven Chu, the signatories expressed concern about the amount of hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, needed to meet demand for natural gas exports.

Led by Democratic Reps. Jared Polis (Colo.) and Maurice Hinchey (N.Y.), the lawmakers called on DOE to conduct an environmental impact statement, as outlined under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), before approving more export deals or LNG terminal permits.

“We are concerned that exporting more LNG would lead to greater hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking,’ activity thus threatening the health of local residents and jobs,” the letter said. “For instance, increased natural gas production in communities across the nation could negatively impact farmers, residents and local property values.”

Ahh yes, because we really should be using even more federal resources and taxpayer dollars to conduct even further environmental analysis of decades-old hydraulic fracturing techniques that the Environmental Protection Agency itself has repeatedly tried and failed to indict on the grounds of permanent environmental damage and public health. Man, nothing like a well-monied green lobby and a shocking(ly misleading) “documentary” to fan the flames of misinformation — nevermind the tremendous potential for safe development, technological innovation, global trade, and wealth-and-job creation just sitting beneath our feet, waiting to be tapped.