Federal agencies including FERC have been using outdated technical standards for permitting liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities, an issue that could compromise safety, according to a government watchdog.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a report published Thursday the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) should conduct reviews to regularly update the technical standards used in their permitting regulations.

FERC regulations, for example, cite an outdated earthquake standard from 1984, while PHMSA regulations cite fire standards from 2001; the USCG regulations cite a 1994 standard for fire extinguishers, the GAO found.

The GAO found that out of nine...