August Pfluger: “On January 26, President Biden imposed an immediate and indefinite ban on the issuance of LNG export permits to non-FTA…”

“On January 26, President Biden imposed an immediate and indefinite ban on the issuance of LNG export permits to non-FTA countries while DOE conducts a review to consider the climate impacts of natural gas. Well, the DOE has already commissioned five studies to examine the effects of U.S. LNG exports, and the results unanimously demonstrate the benefits to the U.S. economy and to domestic prices. In fact, the two prior Presidential administrations conducted these studies without blocking export permits. President Biden's ban on LNG is radically shortsighted when it comes to the environmental risks. Clean natural gas is a major reason why the U.S. has reduced emissions more than any other Nation. According to DOE, U.S. LNG exports are also 41 percent cleaner than Russian natural gas delivered to Europe. Current law requires that natural gas exports to countries with non- FTA countries are deemed in the public interest, unless DOE finds exports will not be consistent with public interest. There is a very clear statutory presumption already that exports are in the public interest, and each administration has held opposition to a very high bar. I think what the administration is saying right now is the political interest, that the statutory presumption has been held to a very high bar up until now. This is the same President who promised Europe that we would meet their needs in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Who stepped up to the plate?…”