Press Releases

March 12, 2024

Today, Sierra Club and allies filed legal responses to American Petroleum Institute and Commonwealth LNG requests for rehearing of Department of Energy’s pause on review of new applications for methane gas exports, or LNG. The groups make clear that the industry requests “should be denied as procedurally improper because there is nothing to seek rehearing of.”

March 11, 2024

Today, residents from around the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana sent a letter to President Biden and Secretary Granholm to thank them for pausing the approval of new licenses for the export of liquefied methane gas (LNG). The letter also shares key priorities that local communities want to see incorporated into the Department of Energy’s (DOE) review of criteria used to determine whether a gas export application is in the public interest.

February 29, 2024

Today, President Biden nominated Judy W. Chang, David Rosner, and Lindsay S. See to fill current and upcoming vacancies at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The nominations will now go to the Senate.

February 15, 2024

Today, Republicans in the US House of Representatives passed H.R. 7176 to accelerate the expansion of liquefied methane gas exports, known as LNG, despite the harm to people and the climate. This bill would strip away the ability of the Department of Energy (DOE) to use established criteria to determine whether gas exports are in the public interest.

February 13, 2024

Today, Republicans in the US House of Representatives advanced H.R. 7176 out of the rules committee in an attempt to accelerate the expansion of liquefied methane gas exports, known as LNG. This bill would strip away the ability of the Department of Energy (DOE) to use established criteria to determine whether gas exports are in the public interest.

February 6, 2024

Fifty-six climate and environmental justice organizations sent a letter urging Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to oppose H.R. 1130 – Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2023 – and any other efforts that would accelerate the expansion of gas exports, known as LNG. H.R. 1130 is expected to be one of a number of bills considered during the Republican-led “Energy Week,” which begins on February 12.

January 26, 2024

Today, President Biden and Secretary Granholm announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) will halt approvals of liquified gas exports, known as LNG, while the agency reviews its criteria for determining if an application is in the public interest. This decision by the Biden administration represents a significant, positive change in policy in response to calls from a broad coalition urging action to halt the expansion of gas exports.

January 24, 2024

The New York Times is reporting that the Department of Energy (DOE) will halt approvals of liquified gas exports, known as LNG, including the controversial CP2, while the agency reviews its criteria for determining if an application is in the public interest. If true, this decision by the Biden administration would represent a significant, positive change in policy in response to calls from a broad coalition urging action to halt the expansion of gas exports.

January 12, 2024

Today, the Environmental Protection Agency opened the rulemaking for its Waste Emissions Charge regulation, designed to achieve important methane pollution reductions from the oil and gas industry as quickly as possible. The charge is a component of the Methane Emissions Reduction Program established through the Inflation Reduction Act. The announcement will now kick off a 60-day comment period.

January 9, 2024

A report today indicates the Biden administration is considering updating the criteria it uses to determine whether an application for exporting liquified gas, known as LNG, is in the public interest. According to POLITICO, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is “reviewing whether it is properly accounting for the climate impacts from a proposed project as well as the national security and the domestic economic consequences.”