White House Assembles Climate Advisers on LNG Export Approvals

[Elderberry]

BNN Bloomberg by Ruth Liao and Ari Natter 1/9/2024

The Biden administration is reevaluating the climate criteria it uses when approving new liquefied natural gas export facilities in a move that has the potential to stall pending projects as the 2024 election nears.

A panel of government officials convened by White House climate adviser Ali Zaidi met to develop a policy recommendation on the issue for President Joe Biden, according to two people familiar with the matter who weren’t authorized to speak publicly. The officials met Saturday, one of the people said. Biden, has been briefed on the issue but has yet to make a decision, a second person said.

The recent deliberations — a collision of domestic and geopolitical issues — are fraught for the White House. The administration’s approval of fossil fuel projects has been under tough scrutiny from environmentalists and drawn blowback from young voters critical to Biden’s reelection. The US has been planning to significantly grow exports of liquefied natural gas, or LNG — a move that would help loosen Russia’s energy leverage on Europe and shore up fuel supply across Asia.

The Department of Energy, which issues export permits, is checking whether it’s properly accounting for the climate impact of proposed plants, Politico earlier reported, citing an unidentified senior US administration official.

An Energy Department spokeswoman said the agency didn’t have any updates on its approval process. The White House didn’t immediately comment.

More: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/white-house-assembles-climate-advisers-on-lng-export-approvals-1.2019692

[Fishrrman]

We shouldn't be exporting natural gas.
We should be using it... HERE.

[Elderberry]

Biden Administration Shuts Down Liquid Natural Gas Exports

Texas Scorecard by  Sydnie Henry   | January 26, 2024

Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said the move is “retaliation against Texas – for standing up to this administration over the border crisis.”

The White House announced Friday that the Biden administration is putting a “temporary pause on pending decisions of Liquified Natural Gas exports.”

The move, said to be made in deference to “the impacts of LNG exports on energy costs, America’s energy security, and our environment,” immediately drew criticism from Texas officials.

Noting that Texas is the third largest exporter of LNG in the world, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham posted, “This reckless move is nothing more than retaliation against Texas — for standing up to this administration over the border crisis.”

According to media reports, the Biden administration has been considering this pause on pending LNG exports for several days.

Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian wrote Wednesday to the Biden administration and U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm that “America becoming energy dominant again – like in 2019 – is the key to restoring global order, and that starts with a strong LNG export industry.”

“I don’t know about President Biden, but I’d much rather have the world buy America’s clean natural gas over gas anywhere else,” said Christian. “LNG can be a beacon of hope, where many countries no longer produce their own fossil fuels due to the Net Zero agenda. Our energy strategy should be to increase production of our domestic fossil fuels and export that reliable energy to our allies across the globe.”

More: https://texasscorecard.com/federal/biden-administration-shuts-down-liquid-natural-gas-exports/