Shannon Van Hoesen, shannon.vanhoesen@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC — Today, 110 organizations sent a letter to Secretary Granholm and President Biden to thank them for the pause on approvals for new LNG export licenses and urge them to not only update the previous economic and environmental analyses that the Department of Energy (DOE) relies on for considering LNG export applications, but also to incorporate factors not currently analyzed like environmental justice. Below is an excerpt from the letter:
“The Administration’s decision to pause the approval of new export licenses is a positive first step, but it is past time for a robust review of LNG export proposals and our frontline communities, domestic consumers, and manufacturers are actively suffering as a result. We call on DOE to look at the true economic, social, and environmental costs of more LNG exports, objectively apply this analysis to LNG export applications, and be ready to deny any projects that are not in the public interest.”
This letter is in response to the Biden Administration’s recent decision to pause approvals for new LNG export licenses and builds on a letter recently sent by residents from the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana, both laying out the opportunities the DOE has for improving its studies, public engagement, and approval processes going forward.
As a vital part of the review process, the letter pushes the DOE to ensure meaningful public participation opportunities where impacted individuals and communities can influence the decision-making process.“‘Meaningful’ means that people’s comments and contributions have consequences and that individuals and communities have the power to influence the outcome of DOE’s decision,” the letter reads.
In reaction, signers of the letter issued the following statements:
Roishetta Sibley Ozane, Founder and Executive Director of The Vessel Project of Louisiana: "President Biden's temporary pause on the approval of new proposed exports is a step in the right direction, but it's crucial that this pause becomes a permanent ban. It’s time that this pause becomes a bipartisan effort. The export of natural gas, especially when it disproportionately affects marginalized communities in the Gulf region, goes against President Biden's unwavering commitment to environmental justice and it pushes us further away from meeting climate goals. Not only does diverting natural gas resources for export contradict our efforts to combat climate change, but it also contributes to inflation and hampers the affordability of energy for American citizens who heavily rely on it. It's time to prioritize the well-being of our communities and the health of our planet by permanently halting the export of natural gas."
Cathy Collentine, Director of Sierra Club's Beyond Dirty Fuels campaign: “The criteria used to determine whether gas exports are in the public interest are woefully inadequate. We are grateful the Biden administration took this important step in pausing approval of new applications while they reevaluate. Now, DOE must account for lifecycle emissions of exported methane gas and disparate health and environmental harms in their updated analysis. It’s critical that we take a holistic view of the cumulative risks to local communities already overburdened by pollution, domestic energy consumers, and widespread climate implications.”
Melanie Oldham, Director of Better Brazoria: Clean Air and Water: “I’m angry and saddened that some legislators, even here in Texas, are trying to undo the pause on new LNG exports. If they would have visited our communities that have an operating LNG export facility and talked to residents, they would realize that they have been falling for the lies and myths told by the LNG industry. The truth is that LNG export facilities don’t provide good local jobs nor do they improve our local economy. Instead LNG facilities are dangerous and risky, emit enormous amounts of methane gas, and harm our ways of making a living and recreating. There are far more costs than benefits to our Gulf Coast Communities.”
Organizations signed onto the letter include:
198 methods
350 Bay Area Action
350 New Orleans
350 Seattle
A Community Voice
Action for the Climate Emergency (ACE)
Alaska Wilderness League
Alliance for Affordable Energy
Bayou City Waterkeeper
Better Brazoria: Clean Air & Water
Beyond Extreme Energy
Bold Alliance
Boundless Community Action
Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University
California Environmental Voters
Cameron Parish Landowner
Center for Biological Diversity
Center for Oil and Gas Organizing
Center for Progressive Reform
Chesapeake Climate Action Network
Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living
Chispa Texas
Clean Energy Now Texas
Climate Conversation Brazoria County
Climate Critical
Climate Law & Policy Project
Climate Reality Project Greater New Orleans Chapter
Coalition Against Death Alley
Common Defense
Concerned Citizens of St. John
Concerned Citizens Table of Lake Charles
Conservation Voters New Mexico
Conservation Voters of PA
Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action
Delaware Riverkeeper Network
Earth Action, Inc.
Earthjustice
Earthworks
Endangered Species Coalition
Environmental Justice Health Alliance for Chemical Policy Reform
Evergreen Action
FISH (fisherman involved in sustaining our heritage)
Food & Water Watch
For a Better Bayou
Frack Action
FreshWater Accountability Project
Friends of the Earth
Gen-Z for Change
Greater New Orleans Interfaith Climate Coalition
GreenARMY
Greenpeace USA
Group Against Smog & Pollution
Healthy Gulf
Hip Hop Caucus
Illinois Environmental Council
Inclusive Louisiana
Indiana Conservation Voters
Ingleside on the Bay Coastal Watch Association
Institute for Policy Studies Climate Policy Program
Interfaith Power & Light
JPAP
League of Conservation Voters
Louisiana Bucket Brigade
Louisiana League of Conscious Voters
Maine Conservation Voters
Maryland LCV
Memphis APRI
Micah Six Eight Mission
Michigan League of Conservation Voters
Natural Resources Defense Council
New Jersey League of Conservation Voters
North American Climate, Conservation and Environment(NACCE)
North Carolina Council of Churches
North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light
North Carolina League of Conservation Voters
Nuclear Information and Resource Service
Ocean Defense Initiative
Oil and Gas Action Network
Oil Change International
Oxfam America
Patagonia
Port Arthur Community Action Network (PACAN)
Progress Texas
Progressive Democrats of America (PDA)
Property Rights and Pipeline Center
Public Citizen
RESTORE
RISE St. James Louisiana
Scenic Galveston, Inc.
Sierra Club
South Coast Neighbors United
SouthWings
Stand.earth
Sunrise New Orleans
Texas Campaign for the Environment
The Revolving Door Project
Third Act
Turtle Island Restoration Network
Union of Concerned Scientists
Vermont Conservation Voters
Vermont Natural Resources Council
Vessel Project of Louisiana
Voices for Progress
Wall of Women
Washington Conservation Action
Waterkeeper Alliance
WE ACT for Environmental Justice
West End Revitalization Association - WERA
Wisconsin Conservation Voters
Zero Hour
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