U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, welcomed an Energy Department decision to approve exports from a liquefied natural gas plant near Kenai, Alaska.

"I'm glad ConocoPhillips will be able to add to Alaska's 40-year history of supplying natural gas to Japan," she said in a statement Monday.

The Energy Department gave Conoco approval to send as much as 40 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year from the Alaskan facility to Asian countries that don't have a free-trade agreement with the United States.

Conoco in December filed an application with the department to resume exports from a plant idled by a shortage of natural gas. Recent discoveries at Cook Inlet fields have eased supply constraints to the extent that seasonal exports are feasible.

U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, said in a separate statement there was "plenty of gas" available for domestic and export needs.

The Energy Department gave Conoco export consent for a two-year period. Exports should begin in May.