150+ Organizations Thank DOE for Releasing LNG Export Studies; Urge Biden Admin to Deny Pending Authorizations

** READ THE LETTER HERE **

Washington, DC — Today, more than 150 environmental organizations sent a letter to President Biden and Secretary Granholm thanking them for releasing the final Department of Energy (DOE) studies on the impacts of liquefied methane gas (LNG) exports. Given scientific conclusions, the groups urge the Biden administration to use this analysis to reject pending LNG export authorizations as not in the public interest. 

Below is an excerpt from the letter: 

“The DOE has the authority to deny LNG export authorizations under the Natural Gas Act when the negative impacts of these facilities outweigh their benefits to the public, and the final studies make it clear that any additional LNG exports are not in the public interest. Therefore, we urge the DOE and the Biden Administration to immediately incorporate this updated analysis into all pending LNG export proposals and find that these projects are not in the public interest.” 

The letter notes the studies confirm that LNG exports raise energy costs, pollute the air, displace renewable energy, and release massive amounts of greenhouse gas emissions – making it clear that approving more exports is not in the public interest. 

“Gulf Coast communities have been fighting the expansion of LNG exports for years, citing much of the same information that DOE has concluded through the modeling and data in these studies. What these communities are calling for is exactly what the Biden Administration and DOE can now do before the end of this term, incorporate the final studies into decision-making on LNG export authorizations without delay,” the letter states. 

The DOE recently finalized its long-awaited analysis on LNG exports, kicking off a public comment period that ends on February 18. This letter, along with comments from veterans, economic experts, and frontline community members, have been submitted to the DOE. 

Recent reporting indicates that President-elect Trump is considering extending the comment period  to challenge the study and prevent lawsuits when approving export authorizations, even as the International Energy Agency recently confirmed that global LNG markets are heading toward a supply glut. According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, LNG developers and their political allies are attempting to stimulate long-term demand to keep insiders rich—even as the market doesn’t need more LNG. 

In the past year, dozens of members of Congress, national security experts and former senior military leaders, environmental organizations, Gulf Coast residents, scientists, and healthcare professionals all sent letters calling on the Administration to deny new LNG exports. 

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