House attempts to undermine DOE and the environment by expediting natural gas exports
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House of Representatives passed H.R. 351, LNG Permitting Certainty and Transparency Act by a vote of 277-133. The bill would expedite liquefied natural gas export applications. 25 national and local groups sent up a letter to the House urging them to oppose H.R. 351 because it would force the Department of Energy to speed through its decision making process for LNG exports and put both the public interest and our environment at risk.
Studies by the Department of Energy and European Commission have suggested that the huge amounts of energy required to liquefy natural gas actually make the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions from liquefied natural gas worse for the climate than those from coal. The production process for LNG also results in almost double the greenhouse gas emissions of conventional natural gas.
Friends of the Earth’s Climate and energy campaigner Kate DeAngelis offers the following statement, in response:
Liquefying natural gas for export will result in devastating greenhouse gas emissions that could push us over the climate tipping point. True leadership means promoting clean energy both at home and abroad, not helping the oil and gas industry pad their profits and subvert our democracy. President Obama in his State of the Union address stated that no challenge poses a greater threat than climate change; if he truly believes this, he will start restricting, not expediting liquefied natural gas exports.
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Expert contact: Kate DeAngelis, (202) 222-0747, [email protected]
Communications contact: Kate Colwell, (202) 222-0744, [email protected]