A federal judge has ordered the Biden administration to reinstitute permits for new facilities with liquefied natural gas exports.
According to The New York Times, the United States District Court made the decision for the Western District of Louisiana on July 1, 2024.
What's happening?
In January, the Biden administration paused all new permits for liquefied natural gas export facilities, also known as LNG, to study their effects on the environment, economy, and national security.
Sixteen state attorneys generals brought lawsuits claiming that the pause hurt their state economies. These states included many that produce a significant amount of natural gas, such as Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, West Virginia, and Louisiana.
The judge who made the decision, James D. Cain Jr., wrote in his decision that jobs had been lost and that taxes and royalties would have continued in the states if there had been no pause in exports.
For instance, according to the Times, Texas estimated it would "lose $259.8 million in tax revenues associated with natural gas production over five years as a result of the pause of permitting."
The Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm had expected the study of LNG exports to be concluded by late 2024.
Why is the continuation of new LNG exports concerning?
With the approved facilities, the U.S. is already projected to more than double its existing LNG export capacity. While natural gas is cleaner than coal when burned, it's more potent in the short term than other polluting gases, such as carbon dioxide.
It can also leak anywhere along the supply chain and is energy-intensive to transport.
According to Oxfam, the methane in natural gas can be extremely harmful to communities. Methane can cause several health issues, including cancer, respiratory issues, and maternal and fetal health problems, and leads to one million premature deaths yearly.
It also affects economies and wildlife. For example, Oxfam further reported that a parish in Louisiana was the "largest producer of seafood in the entire country before" warming temperatures and the LNG facilities arrived there. There used to be 250 operating commercial fishing vessels. Now, there are only 16.
What's being done about stopping LNG exports?
The Times reported that White House spokesman Angelo Fernández Hernández said in a statement, "We remain committed to informing our decisions with the best available economic and environmental analysis, underpinned by sound science."
You can also use your voice by voting for climate candidates and speaking to your representatives about policies that protect communities and the environment. It's also crucial to explore climate issues to better understand the problems and what can be done about them.
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