The Biden administration today announced a pause on new gas export projects, saying it needs to better assess the economic and environmental impact of each project. The decision will not affect ongoing exports, it is only pending decisions on exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to countries with which the United States does not have agreements. Free trade agreement.
“During this period, we will take a close look at the impacts of LNG exports on energy costs, America's energy security, and our environment,” Biden said in a statement today. “This pause on new LNG approvals sees the climate crisis for what it is: the existential threat of our time.”
“During this period, we will carefully analyze the impacts of LNG exports on energy costs, America's energy security, and our environment.”
The pause applies to four pending projects and it could take the Biden administration several months to complete its evaluation of each project, according to senior administration officials.
TO White House Fact Sheet released today says the Department of Energy's previous approval process has not been updated in five years, and needs to be revamped to better assess how gas exports could increase consumer costs in the U.S. and take into account the greenhouse gas emissions of each project. So-called natural gas is mainly methane, a greenhouse gas even more potent than the carbon dioxide that typically leaks from gas infrastructure.
The move comes as President Joe Biden faces pressure to curb gas development in the United States and tries to court voters who want action on climate change. The United States is the world's leading gas producer and exporter, despite the president's promises to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the United States has increased LNG exports to Europe as much of the Western world sought to offload Russian gas reserves. But earlier this week, 60 members of the European Parliament sent a letter to Biden. saying “Europe should not be used as an excuse to expand (LNG) exports that threaten our shared climate and have dire impacts on American communities… Current fossil gas consumption in Europe is already being met at current import levels and with the existing infrastructure”. About half of U.S. LNG exports went to Europe last year, according to the White House fact sheet.
Until today's announcement, Biden also faced backlash from activists in the United States over pollution from proposed gas export terminals. “Thank you, President Biden and (Energy Secretary Jennifer) Secretary Granholm, for standing up to the fossil fuel industry,” mutual aid organization Vessel Project of Louisiana said in a Facebook post today. It was one of the groups planning a sit inwhich has since been canceled, at the Department of Energy in February to stop approval of new LNG facilities.
A website that has garnered more than 300,000 signatures, including support from famed activist Jane Fonda, for a petition with the same goal now. says“We did it! President Biden is stopping all new LNG export terminals.”
