DOE’s Long-Awaited LNG Export Analysis Makes Clear Case for Biden to Reject Pending Permits

LNG exports in the United States have rapidly increased in recent years, harming public health, devastating the environment, raising prices for families, and threatening national security. New peer-reviewed research indicates that the climate impact of LNG is even greater than coal. Nevertheless, the oil and gas industry is seeking to build on its record profits by rapidly increasing the US’s LNG export capacity – even as demand drops in Europe and security concerns rise around exports via China.

President Biden’s historic action to pause and evaluate the impacts of new LNG exports earlier this year created the opportunity to change the status quo. This subsequent analysis provides a clear opportunity to ensure that decisions about LNG exports finally put the public’s needs ahead of industry profits. While the DOE’s analysis was drafted, 600,000 Americans weighed in to tell the Biden Administration to act to curb LNG exports, including climate scientists, public health professionals, consumer advocates, veterans, national security experts, lawmakers, over 500 domestic and international organizations, and frontline community members. 

Now, DOE will open a 60-day comment period on the draft analysis. Advocates plan to use this opportunity to ensure the analysis is as comprehensive as possible in capturing the dangers of LNG exports and urge the Administration to acknowledge the findings of the analysis by rejecting all pending LNG export permits, as they are not in the public interest.

In response, advocacy leaders issued the following statements: 

Quotes from Press Call:

“You can make the case that the LNG climate effects are worse than what the report says, but you cannot make the case that they are better. Understand the dynamic that we’re sitting on right now: because of the fracking revolution, the United States is sitting on a surfeit of natural gas, and over the last 15 years has figured out how to decouple economic growth from fossil fuel use. We now generate more power use from non-hydro renewables than we do from coal. That’s a good thing, and because of economics, those resources can’t compete without lowering their prices to the levels that investors don’t want to pay.  Our energy producers could respond to that by providing Americans with what they want at the lowest possible price. They’re instead trying to figure out how to export this overseas and make more money. We’re sitting here in a world where we have invented cell phone technology and are arguing about whether we should rotary phones to the rest of the world. The national interest should be focused on exporting technologies that have allowed us to succeed and made us richer, not to insist on exports that will make us poorer. We will continue to push to bring this forward in the Legislature,” said Congressman Sean Casten (D-IL-6). 

“Since gas demand has come down since 2021, we are depending less on LNG now. Surprisingly, so far this year, the US energy imports have decreased 19 percent. And, we saw in Europe that in 2023, the energy imports were completely flat. With that in mind, we think that if Europe continues in their efforts to reduce gas consumption and increase renewables, we might have reached the point where we don’t need to increase LNG imports, whether from the US or any other sources,” said Ana Maria Jaller-Makarewicz, lead energy analyst, Europe, IEEFA.

REGIONAL STATEMENTS: 

“As a Black mother and an environmental justice leader living in Sulphur, La, a frontline community, I witness the harsh truth every day: the expansion of liquefied natural gas exports puts our families at risk while prioritizing corporate profits over our health and safety. My children face severe health conditions caused by the very pollution that LNG facilities unleash into our air and water. We cannot allow our communities to bear the burden of fossil fuel racism any longer. The Department of Energy’s findings confirm what we have long known—LNG exports not only devastate our environment but also escalate our energy costs and compromise our futures. True energy independence means investing in renewable solutions that uplift our communities, not shipping our resources abroad while we suffer. It’s time for President Biden to reject all pending LNG export authorizations and stand with us in the fight for a livable future,” said Roishetta Ozane, Founder/CEO, Vessel Project of Louisiana.

“For the last six months, the flame from Venture Global’s export facility has lit up the sky, wasting gas, polluting the air, and warming the planet. This company and this industry are a disaster in every way possible – killing the fishermen’s livelihoods and destroying the coast of Louisiana. The Biden Administration’s studies show still more of the problem, making it even more obvious that there should be a permanent ban on gas exports,” said Anne Rolfes, Louisiana Bucket Brigade .

“The Department of Energy’s analysis validates the harsh reality experienced by coastal communities and local fishermen: LNG exports devastate lives and ecosystems while serving only corporate profits. With a lifecycle climate impact worse than coal, LNG pollutes our air and water, raises energy costs for families, and accelerates the ecological collapse that is destroying fisheries and livelihoods along our coast. True energy independence means investing in renewable energy that benefits people, not shipping resources overseas while our communities suffer. Expanding LNG exports puts America Last by undermining public health, compromising national security, and inflicting more suffering by accelerating a changing climate,” said James Hiatt, For a Better Bayou.

“Clearly, approving additional LNG export licenses to NFTA countries is not in the American public interest unless you are in the methane sales or transportation business. It will never be in the domestic public interest to sell our finite, critical natural resources to the highest overseas bidder. The USEIA exports report for September listed China and India as the top 2 importers of US LNG exports in September with another BRIC country, Brazil as the number 6 importer of our LNG.  These BRIC countries accounted for over 25% of US LNG exports. Limiting LNG exports along with conservation of our critical natural resources provide low-cost feedstocks and energy for domestic manufacturers and American consumers until we can make the inevitable transition from reliance on fossil fuels,” said John Allaire, Environmental Engineer, Retired Oil and Gas Worker, and Cameron Parish resident (LA). 

“LNG expansion is not in the best interests of the American people. LNG is most harmful to frontline communities.Tax abatements deplete the tax base community services depend on. Pollution from LNG production damages the health and shortens the lives of the people living in the communities. LNG damages the climate for all as methane is an even more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. We are seeing the effects of burning fossil fuels as our planet warms to near 1.5c over pre industrial levels: floods, powerful hurricanes, droughts, heat waves and wildfires. There are safer, cheaper and cleaner alternatives such as solar, wind and geothermal. Demand for LNG is falling and LNG infrastructure may become stranded assets. The Department of Energy should decline all expansion of LNG facilities,” said Nora Mullarkey of Third Act Texas.

“This is really important for us in the entire Delaware River Valley, including Chester PA and Gibbstown NJ because corporations are proposing to force liquefied natural gas facilities here that would pollute the entire river watershed and lay new devastating environmental and public health impacts on top of the burdens we’re fighting to get out from under,” said Tracy Carluccio, Deputy Director of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network. 

“People over Profits!! should mean more than just a chant. It should be the model that DOE factors in for all LNG permits and proposals. The health of frontline communities depends on entities like DOE and FERC. The economic hardships that we suffer because of increased health costs, the devaluation of our land is devastating. All issues should be factored into the decision process,” said Zulene Mayfield, Founder, Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living.

“The DOE’s latest analysis further proves what climate advocates, health organizations and others have said for years: LNG exports are not in the best interests of Americans. We should be building out American renewable energy and we are hopeful that if the Trump Administration is serious about energy independence they will discontinue this culture war against renewable energy and do what is best for our pockets, health AND environment,” said Ashlei Tracy, Deputy Executive Director, PA Bipartisan Climate Initiative.

The Department of Energy has confirmed what we have seen as direct evidence regarding the build out of LNG export terminals along the gulf coast. In every instance the promise of jobs and an increased quality of life is touted by companies like Venture Global when the reality is very different. Fenceline communities like Lake Hermitage, Louisiana — located directly behind the construction of the Plaquemines Parish LNG terminal — face water shortages, internet, power outages and compromised emergency services. That is only one of many terminals being planned in Louisiana, though we know that the story will be the same for each community that LNG moves into. The pause should continue in order to account for the harmful impacts that LNG construction has on fenceline communities in the Gulf Coast,” said Sage Franz, Campaign Manager at Sunrise Movement New Orleans. 

“We have the data, now it’s time to take action and protect our environment and our people – this analysis clearly shows the risks and costs of LNG exports, and we cannot ignore the facts. These data should result in the rejection of pending and future LNG export permits. Moreover, it demonstrates that the future administration’s plans to approve more LNG exports will make energy prices higher for American families and further exploit our land and people,” said Heather Hulton VanTassel, Executive Director, Three Rivers Waterkeeper.

“We have long known that LNG exports are a bad deal for Pennsylvanians, and we are encouraged to see that the Department of Energy agrees. LNG export schemes represent yet another effort to support the declining fracked gas industry by taking money out of the pockets of hard working Pennsylvanians. In addition to the environmental costs of the export terminals and the use of the LNG itself, methane leaks throughout the entire production process increase water and air pollution and contribute to higher greenhouse gas emissions. PennFuture will continue to push back against proposed new LNG infrastructure in Pennsylvania and promote the renewable energy sources that we need and deserve,” said Patrick McDonnell, president and Chief Executive Officer of PennFuture. 

“LNG exports not only solidify the continued need for fracked gas, but also the release of large volumes of toxic chemicals into the air, threatening any progress on the climate crisis and clean air. The result is a financial win for corporations and an economic drain for the people of Pennsylvania.  What no one talks about is the unmeasurable mental, emotional and psychological impacts from noise and light pollution and the associated stress of industry,” said Tonyehn Verkitus, Executive Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania.  

“This LNG study is a good start, but the speed at which it was conducted leaves critical gaps in understanding the true impact LNG projects have on communities –  -and ecosystems. Over 120 commercial fishermen in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, have raised the alarm about ecological collapse, yet these projects continue to operate with minimal oversight, out of regulation, and new permits are still being approved.

Key issues—such as the disruption of aquatic lifecycles, shifts in migration patterns, underwater noise pollution, and the dumping of deadly chemicals into fisheries during hurricanes under the EPA’s SSM rule—remain grossly understudied. Without extensive research, we are flying blind in understanding these impacts.

Agencies and authorities must engage directly with frontline communities, like the fisher families of Cameron Parish, whose generational knowledge is invaluable for truly grasping what is happening. This isn’t just about local ecosystems—it’s about food systems, public health, and the very air, land, and water we all depend on.

Innocent people in sacrifice zones are left in the dark about the real risks—explosions, chemical exposure, and lack of emergency plans. It’s unacceptable. We must amplify these studies and extend their findings to those most affected. People deserve to know the risks of these projects before they are approved—not after the damage is done. I hope we can come together to ensure that every community has the information they need to protect themselves and hold these industries accountable,” said Alyssa Portaro, Founder and Director of Habitat Recovery Project and Strategic Manager of Fishermen Involved in Sustaining our Heritage (FISH).

“Working with low-income populations in Southwest Louisiana, particularly in Sulphur, we see firsthand the economic and environmental risks posed by LNG expansion. The DOE’s report highlights that unchecked growth of LNG facilities will raise electricity costs nationwide, with our most vulnerable communities bearing the greatest burden. In our region, frontline communities already face severe health and environmental consequences from existing fossil fuel infrastructure. LNG plants release methane, a potent greenhouse gas driving climate change, and here in Southwest Louisiana, we live under a ‘methane umbrella.’ Along the Gulf Coast, we endure the escalating threat of stronger, more frequent hurricanes fueled by a warming climate. Approving additional LNG facilities is not in the public interest—certainly not for those of us on the Gulf Coast,” said Cynthia P. Robertson, Executive Director of Micah Six Eight Mission.

“Our South Texas border and coastal community has been screaming for over ten years that these LNG projects, Rio Grande LNG and Texas LNG, and all the others planned for the Gulf are being forced on us by the fossil fuel industry and their shareholders. We are an impoverished Brown and Indigenous community that needs a pristine coastline protected for fishing, shrimping, and clean air and water for survival, and Rio Grande LNG and Texas LNG threaten all of this. Our community has successfully won a lawsuit against these LNG projects, demonstrating that they are clear examples of environmental racism. This administration must take immediate action to cancel the Rio Grande LNG and Texas LNG projects,” said Bekah Hinojosa of South Texas Environmental Justice Network.

“The Department of Energy studies highlight the complex realities faced by coastal communities. LNG exports wreak havoc on both lives and ecosystems for corporate interests. With a lifecycle climate impact that is even more damaging than coal, LNG contaminates our air and water, drives up energy prices for families, and intensifies the ecological crisis threatening fisheries and livelihoods along our shores. Achieving true energy independence relies on investing in renewable energy that prioritizes people rather than exporting resources abroad while neglecting our communities. Expanding LNG exports places American interests at risk by jeopardizing public health, weakening national security, and further contributing to the challenges posed by a changing climate. It is our responsibility as engaged citizens to take action and create change,” said Cyndi Valdes, Executive Director of Coastal Watch Association. 

“We all lose with Liquefied Natural Gas “LNG” exports. It only makes the rich richer while raising prices and poisoning us,” said Chispa Texas Program Director Elida Castillo. “This new DOE study helps further demonstrate that our Gulf communities who are being harmed every day by the toxic emissions of formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide, etc. that come from LNG facilities shouldn’t continue to be sacrificed in the name of the false promise of cheaper fuel. These exported fracked gas shipments are driving up foreign and domestic energy costs around the world, contributing to inflation and increasing what we all pay for everyday items. The price also comes with poisoned water and more methane emissions. In short, the only winners here are a small group of LNG facility owners and their shareholders who have been making billions at the cost of our health, communities, environment, and pocketbooks. Chispa Texas will keep working with our frontline communities to submit comments to the Department of Energy to strengthen their analysis and offer a fuller picture of all the ways LNG harms our communities.” 

“It is refreshing and encouraging to see the Biden administration and Department of Energy confirm what peer-reviewed science and countless advocates on the ground have been saying about LNG exports for more than a decade, but disappointing to see them qualify their comments to refer to unfettered LNG exports. Unfettered or fettered, all LNG exports are losing propositions for everyone but those profiting from them. It’s time to stop all LNG exports,” said Karen Feridun, Co-Founder of Better Path Coalition in Pennsylvania.

“In releasing its study, the Department of Energy is finally recognizing what we are seeing on the ground in Pennsylvania: LNG exports are having a profound impact on the cost Pennsylvanians pay for energy, and placing our communities at risk.  When gas prices spiked in 2022 following high levels of exports overseas, low income Pennsylvanians bore the brunt of the harm – with involuntary gas terminations increasing 40% year over year.  It is critical that DOE consider local impacts to energy affordability and security when determining whether to approve expansion of gas exports to world markets,” said Elizabeth R. Marx, Executive Director of Pennsylvania Utility Law Project. 

“LNG exports are bad for our pocketbooks, bad for the air we breathe, and bad for the safety of our communities. Energy independence does not mean shipping America’s resources overseas, it means harnessing and storing our abundant solar and wind energy,” said Alex Bomstein, Executive Director of Clean Air Council (Pennsylvania). 

“As a resident of Freeport Tx, near where Freeport LNG exploded and constantly emits methane and other toxic emissions, we thank the DOE for releasing this report. The report proves what we know, that LNG plants are not in the Public interest. LNG harms our Gulf Coast communities in so many ways, as well as our Climate,” said Melanie Oldham, Director of Better Brazoria.

“The Department of Energy’s analysis makes it crystal clear that LNG exports are not in the public interest. DoE should stop issuing permits for more LNG exports and transition towards renewable, sustainable energy so that we can meet our climate goals. The time is now to mitigate the climate crisis and invest in clean energy sources that benefit the people. We need our leaders to protect people over these polluters and stop allowing the LNG industry to harm our communities, make us sick, and rake in profits,” said Gwendolyn Jones, Executive Director, Climate Conversations Brazoria County. 

“LNG exports serve corporate profits, not the public’s interest.The people of Appalachia have been asked to sacrifice our health and environment for fossil fuel extraction for generations, and frontline communities from Appalachia to the coast deserve better. We must curb LNG exports and reject all pending LNG export permits,” said Sarah Martik, Executive Director of the Center for Coalfield Justice. 

“The DOE study shows something we have known for years: LNG is harmful to both the environment and the American people. In the face of the climate crisis, we do not have the time to wait to act on years-long studies to tell us what communities on the ground are seeing firsthand. Eyewitness accounts are crucial in keeping communities safe while quantitative data is collected. We must witness the experiences of frontline communities and heed early indicators of ecosystem collapse. 

LNG is an unsustainable money grab that is warming our planet at an alarming rate, decimating communities’ health and livelihoods, and annihilating ecosystems. We cannot continue granting permits, and, indeed, must halt those already in operation. They are a bad investment for our nation, our nation’s people, and our earth’s future,” said Misha Mayeur, Founder and Host of Gulf Rising.

“Year after year, everyday Texans are experiencing ongoing drought, skyrocketing electricity prices, and record high temperatures, all of which will be made worse by the expansion of LNG exports on the Gulf Coast. At a time when fossil fuel-financed politicians are working daily to expand taxpayer handouts to wealthy, polluting energy corporations, it is very welcome news to see the Department of Energy reflect what so many coastal Texans have been saying for years: We don’t need more LNG,” said Dave Cortez, Director at Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter.

“Ever since the liquefied natural gas boom of 2012 came to my community, it has had a serious impact on economic growth, through tax abatements and special bonds. Not only are they untrustworthy neighbors when it comes to the safety of the community that’s adjacent to the facility, LNG outright endangers the lives of the population and there’s no accountability knowing that they cut corners to even construct the facility. 

It’s quite concerning with such toxic substances being processed in this community of Freeport, Texas when it comes to DOE. It fails the protection clause of the Constitution when it comes to the health and safety of the population that’s impacted with these facilities. DoE only sees profits and the concern of world economic growth, but at the cost of who the most vulnerable citizens along the Gulf South of the United States of America, and all my time and experience in the department, it has never shown no concern for the safety of the community or the environment.

I find this is just a formality and at the end of the day, the people will suffer because of the lack of oversight or accountability when there’s so much government corruption. President Biden needs to ban all exports of liquefied natural gas. There are human rights abuses committed in these communities along the Gulf South of the United States of America,” said Manning Rollerson, CEO, Freeport Haven.

NATIONAL STATEMENTS: 

“This detailed analysis highlights the stark and obvious reality that ever-expanding LNG exports are not in the public interest. LNG exports threaten frontline communities and American pocketbooks. The extraction, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification of gas releases vast amounts of greenhouse gases, worsening the climate crisis. Based on this analysis, the Department of Energy should deny the six pending LNG permits and implement a transparent, science-based review process that prioritizes the public interest of everyday Americans over the profits of fossil fuel companies,” said Gillian Giannetti, senior attorney at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council).

“The Department of Energy’s latest analysis confirms what frontline communities and climate advocates have long known: liquefied ‘natural’ gas exports come at an unacceptable cost. As Secretary Granholm herself rightly said, continuing the pace of exports would be ‘neither sustainable nor advisable.’ At a time when spiking rates are already straining American pocketbooks, doubling down on LNG exports would only make energy prices more costly for working families. LNG exports poison communities along their sprawling supply chains and devastate our climate. Communities in the Gulf, which are already overburdened by toxic air and water pollution, shouldn’t be forced to bear the brunt of fossil fuel racism. Simply put, LNG expansion recklessly prioritizes corporate profits over public health, affordable energy, and a livable future. The Department of Energy’s analysis makes it clear that President Biden should reject all pending LNG export authorizations,” said Mattea Mrkusic, Senior Policy Lead for Energy Transition at Evergreen Action. 

“This study confirms that Donald Trump’s plans to supercharge LNG exports will come at the expense of consumers and the climate. We cannot afford to prop up an industry that continues to threaten our people and the planet for profit. Over the next few weeks, it is not too late for the Biden Administration to curb the deadly LNG export boom,” said Raena Garcia, Senior Energy Campaigner at Friends of the Earth US.

“Communities on the frontlines of the LNG supply chain have long known from firsthand experience that the fossil fuel industry disregards their health, environment, and local economy for the sole purpose of funneling profits to themselves. This study affirms that continuing to approve LNG exports will directly harm Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities across the U.S. and delay a worldwide transition to a safer, stronger energy system. International allies are calling on the U.S. to work in partnership on phasing out fossil fuels and reducing the harm of extractive industries. The Department of Energy must act now, as the consequences of LNG exports are clear, and reject authorizations for new export terminals,” said Kelsey Crane, Senior Policy Advocate at Earthworks.

“The Department of Energy’s analysis confirms what so many impacted communities have long lived and spoken about: LNG exports prioritize corporate profits at the expense of public health, climate stability, and economic fairness. Exporting U.S. LNG abroad raises energy costs, pollutes our communities, and undermines investments in sustainable energy solutions. The Biden Administration must heed the irrefutable evidence in this analysis and reject all pending LNG permits. American families deserve policies that prioritize their well-being and energy security, not the interests of the fossil fuel industry,” said Shannon Smith, executive director of FracTracker Alliance. 

“We are grateful that the Department of Energy’s updated studies clearly demonstrate what we and communities living with these facilities know to be true: methane gas exports are not in the public interest. US LNG exports raise energy prices, harm communities, and exacerbate the climate crisis. The facts are on our side. Neither the American people nor our planet can afford expanded LNG exports, and as such, we urge the Department of Energy to immediately deny six key, pending LNG export applications that are FERC-approved, including CP2 and Commonwealth LNG. “Halting the expansion of LNG exports has never felt more urgent than it does now, as we face another four years of an administration that prioritizes polluter handouts over people. We will not stop fighting against the buildout of LNG exports, as we continue to support communities who are on the frontlines of this climate disaster,” said Cathy Collentine, Director of the Beyond Dirty Fuels campaign at Sierra Club. 

“The Biden Administration and the Department of Energy must deny all future LNG export terminals, especially projects that should not have had approval in the first place, like Rio Grande LNG and Texas LNG. These export terminals damage local communities, exacerbate environmental injustice, increase extreme weather events and will result in higher energy costs for US families. From the White House to Wall Street, Americans need bold leadership on addressing the escalating impacts of climate chaos — stop fossil fuel expansion now,” said Ruth Breech, Senior Campaigner for Climate and Energy at Rainforest Action Network. 

“At a moment that cries out for investments in a just and livable future, it is madness to build out more capacity to extract, export, and burn any fossil fuel. We should be investing in clean energy solutions – ones that do not increase the dangerous emissions that contribute to warming the planet and exacerbating the climate crisis, and that do not harm communities on the frontlines. LNG export terminals endanger Black, Brown, Indigenous, and low-income communities; raise prices for consumers; and escalate the risks of the climate crisis to everyone on the planet – especially future generations. We are called lirdof tzedek, to pursue justice, and solutions to the crisis must center those most impacted,” said Rabbi Jennie Rosenn, Chief Executive Officer of Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action.

“DOE’s long-awaited environmental and economic analyses demonstrate what environmental justice and frontline communities have been saying for years — Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) export facilities are not in the public interest. Not only do these projects compound public health and safety harms to communities, especially in the Gulf and for communities of color, but they also exacerbate the climate crisis and raise energy prices here at home. This particularly impacts the most energy burdened families and those of low-income. We look forward to the opportunity to provide input on the analyses and reiterate that the costs of LNG expansion are much too high. The final studies should not be the end of the matter but must lead to decisive action from the Administration to deny pending LNG applications and movement toward a real just energy transition away from fossil fuels,” said Leslie Fields, Chief Federal Officer at WE ACT for Environmental Justice.

“The DOE’s analysis on gas exports proves what we’ve known all along. LNG is bad for the environment, the communities that live near it, and households across the country that will be saddled with high gas prices. It’s now time for FERC and DOE to heed this analysis, put an end to these “unfettered” exports, and do everything in their power to accelerate the energy transition— especially in the communities hit hardest by this unprecedented fossil fuel buildout,” said Geoff Bromaghim, Director of Methane Accountability at The Gas Leaks Project. 

“The Department of Energy’s analysis is a critical wake-up call, exposing the devastating costs of LNG exports on our communities, economy, and environment. For too long, the LNG industry has prioritized profits over people, polluting our air and water, driving up energy prices for families, and threatening the livelihoods of those who depend on healthy waterways—like fishers and tourism workers. These facilities consume and contaminate vast amounts of water, jeopardizing entire local economies and traditional ways of life, particularly in coastal and riverine communities. Meanwhile, BIPOC and frontline communities continue to bear the brunt of this industry’s toxic expansion, facing increased health risks and environmental destruction. This analysis makes it clear: LNG exports are not in the public interest. They harm working families, destabilize our economy, and worsen the climate crisis. President Biden and the Department of Energy must act on these findings by rejecting all pending LNG export permits. But the responsibility doesn’t stop there—we must also hold accountable the bankers, financiers, corporations, and other backers enabling these disastrous projects. The stakes are too high to allow the LNG industry to continue profiting at the expense of our communities and future,” said Jasmine Gil, Associate Senior Director for Think 100% at Hip Hop Caucus.

“There is no longer any debate. LNG exports drive up prices, devastate communities, and increase climate pollution. It is time for the Biden administration to finally act and deny all the pending LNG export applications. The Department of Energy’s report serves as a wake-up call to international buyers; US LNG is not clean energy. Despite claims from the incoming Trump administration that it wants to lower prices, the truth is they are putting billionaire fossil fuel donors ahead of everyday Americans. The record is crystal clear: increasing LNG exports will drive up costs for domestic businesses and consumers. Any further investment in LNG will only exacerbate the cost of living crisis, while enriching gas industry CEOs who live nowhere near an export terminal,” said John Noël, Deputy Climate Program Director at Greenpeace USA.

“The Department of Energy’s analysis shows what we’ve known all along: LNG exports are not in the best interest of the public. LNG exports raise energy costs and poison the environments that we call home while gas executives get richer. The federal government has a responsibility to stop sacrificing our communities for the sake of corporate profits. The Department of Energy’s findings are a mandate for decisive action from the Biden-Harris administration to defend the public interest and reject all pending permits for LNG projects,” said Zanagee Artis, Executive Director of Zero Hour.

“The long-awaited Department of Energy Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) export analysis proves what climate justice and frontline leaders have been saying for years. The US government can no longer pretend to build out LNG export facilities in the public interest. LNG exports pollute communities, raise consumer and business costs, and increase greenhouse gas emissions, especially impacting communities of color in the Gulf. There is no spin the fossil fuel industry can put on the hard facts. Continuing to build these facilities after this report would be willful ignorance. We call on the Biden Administration to listen to their own report and reject pending LNG export licenses,” said Quentin Scott, Federal Policy Director at Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

“This report is a crucial acknowledgement of the basic fact that natural gas causes, not solves, the climate crisis. It represents a significant change in the way that the authorities have viewed natural gas. Hopefully that will take some pressure off both the planet and the coastal communities endangered by these boondoggles,” said Bill McKibben, author, educator, and climate activist.

“Eighty-six years ago, Congress established the first-ever federal consumer protections for natural gas, regulating it as an essential utility service, declaring that most exports of the gas cannot occur unless first deemed to be in the public interest. In less than a decade, the U.S. has gone from exporting no LNG, to becoming the largest exporter of this fossil fuel in the world, upending domestic energy markets, forcing American households and businesses to compete with Berlin and Beijing for access to U.S.-produced fuel, and exposing American energy markets to increased price volatility and episodes of sharply higher prices. Today’s study makes clear that all pending export applications must be denied as being inconsistent with the public interest, and should result in a reassessment of existing exports to determine compatibility with the public interest. Using LNG exports to provide energy abundance for China at the expense of higher utility bills for working Americans is not in the public interest,” said Tyson Slocum, director of the Energy Program at Public Citizen. 

“With higher costs and more harmful pollution, these studies further underscore that continued LNG exports only benefits oil and gas executives seeking to pad their profits. These studies clearly show that continuing the massive buildout of LNG exports is a bad bet for the economy with harmful environmental impacts – raising energy prices for families, increasing costs for manufacturers and endangering the health of frontline communities already overburdened by pollution and the climate crisis. With such negative impacts from LNG exports, it’s clear the Biden-Harris administration was right to take the time to do this evaluation. It is also clearer than ever that continued buildout of LNG exports is not in the public interest. To keep energy affordable and pollution from getting out of control, we must heed the results of these studies and DOE should move to deny new LNG exports projects,” said Sara Chieffo, Vice President of Government Affairs at LCV (League of Conservation Voters).

“DOE’s analysis confirms the facts we’ve known for years: rampant LNG exports drive up energy prices, contribute to the catastrophic effects of climate change, and delay the global transition to truly clean energy. Allowing projects like the massive CP2 proposal in Louisiana to move forward goes against the public interest. Earthjustice and our partners will continue fighting the LNG export boom to protect communities and the climate,” said Moneen Nasmith, Senior Attorney at Earthjustice. 

“For years, LNG exports have been prioritizing profit over the health and well-being of frontline communities and our planet. The Department of Energy’s recent analysis reinforces what frontline communities and climate activists have been urging the rest of the country to hear. In his final weeks in office, President Biden has the opportunity to stand with us and reject all pending LNG export permits, protecting both our people and our planet for generations to come,” said Elizabeth Purcell, Environmental Policy Coordinator at Turtle Island Restoration Network. 

“From Louisiana to Pennsylvania, Texas to Michigan, communities living next to polluting oil and gas industries are standing up and advocating for a just and expedited end to dangerous methane gas exports and the fracking of our heartlands and hometowns. Today’s analysis from the Department of Energy further shows that communities who live near methane gas export terminals bear the greatest public health and economic costs, while the American consumer will continue paying more on their utility bills until the unabated export of methane gas is stopped,” said Kari Fulton, Senior Organizing Director at Center for Oil and Gas Organizing.

“This analysis provides the Biden administration with overwhelming legal, economic, and environmental justification to stop the unchecked expansion of LNG exports. The administration must not only reject all six pending LNG export projects, but also revoke authorizations for facilities approved under the outdated and inadequate standards that failed to account for their full climate and health impacts. As communities near LNG export facilities have long demonstrated, these mega-polluting projects damage their health, risk their safety, and weaken local economies. Climate science makes clear that the world can’t afford any expansion of LNG exports, because the U.S. already has more LNG capacity than is aligned with limiting warming to 1.5ºC. The Department of Energy analysis shows LNG exports compete with renewable energy adoption — not coal power — and undermine the path to a clean energy future. The report also reinforces that carbon capture does nothing to prevent LNG exports from releasing massive amounts of climate pollution, accelerating the climate crisis. Biden must use his final weeks in office to slow LNG expansion before Trump takes office,” said Allie Rosenbluth, United States Campaign Manager at Oil Change International.  

“These studies show clearly that LNG exports are in gas executives’ best interest and nobody else’s. Exporting fracked gas worsens climate change, harms wildlife and raises prices for U.S. consumers. It hasn’t been in the public interest for a long time. If Trump wants to drive up dangerous gas exports, he’s going to have to answer for causing more deadly storms, condemning the Rice’s whale to extinction, and socking consumers with higher costs,” said Lauren Parker, attorney at the Climate Law Institute of the Center for Biological Diversity.

“This study mirrors the Biden administration’s entire four-year approach to advancing a clean energy future: weak and half-hearted. Liquid natural gas exports systematically poison the most vulnerable frontline communities, pollute our air and water, and drive-up domestic energy prices. We cannot continue to be victimized by the profit-driven agenda of fossil fuel corporations. President Biden must listen to the warnings of his own government by banning further LNG exports and rejecting pending LNG permits before he leaves office. “Secretary Granholm’s admission that continuing LNG exports will drive up costs and harm vulnerable communities is a sad reflection on what we have been saying for the last decade. It is time for this administration to start matching its rhetoric with action, and reject new LNG exports while it still can,” said Jim Walsh, Policy Director at Food & Water Watch.

“This report is an affirmation of what millions of people around the country have been telling the federal government for years: LNG threatens our lives, our livelihoods, and our planet — all so billionaires can get richer. It’s clear: LNG export facilities are not in the public interest. The Biden administration must reject all pending LNG export permits,” said Aru Shiney-Ajay, Executive Director of Sunrise Movement.

“The Department of Energy’s analysis reveals the clear national security and climate risks of Trump’s plan to expedite LNG exports on the first day of his administration. This will be disastrous for our country; not only would this undermine Trump’s campaign promises to lower the cost of living for American families who need it most, but we’d also be paying higher prices at home to subsidize China’s efforts to build power using our own gas. It is time for Washington to take a stand for the health and security of our nation by rejecting harmful LNG export projects and committing to a sustainable energy future that safeguards our communities, economy, and environment.” – BG (Ret.) Steve Anderson, Board Member, Vet Voice Foundation.