Sw Louisiana News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA), House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY), and Congressman Pat Fallon (R-TX) have raised concerns over the Department of Energy’s (DOE) role in executing a Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) export pause under the Biden administration.

In a letter addressed to the DOE’s Secretary Jennifer Granholm, the lawmakers expressed their apprehension regarding the decision. They stated, "The Committee is concerned with DOE’s move to update its public interest analysis of LNG export applications without adequate justification, in an apparent attempt to appease liberal advocacy groups determined to destroy our nation’s traditional energy sector.”

The lawmakers also highlighted the timing of the decision, suggesting potential political motivations behind it. They drew parallels to previous actions by President Biden, mentioning, “The timing of the decision, in an election year, raises the likelihood that political motivations drove the action—as in President Biden’s misuse of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) before the 2022 midterm elections and cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline on his first day in office."

Furthermore, they alleged that the Biden administration's move was influenced by leftist environmental groups and climate activists seeking a halt to all use and exports of LNG. The lawmakers stated, “Further, reports indicate the Biden Administration’s action was taken at the direction of leftist environmental groups and climate activists who seek a permanent stop to all use and exports of LNG.”

The lawmakers accused the Biden administration of leveraging DOE’s public interest analysis and the administrative state to delay new LNG export project approvals, allegedly at the behest of leftist environmental groups. They remarked, “The Biden Administration appears to be weaponizing DOE’s public interest analysis and the administrative state to prolong new LNG export project approvals at the behest of leftist environmental groups.”

Congressman Higgins, a vocal supporter of America’s LNG industry, recently co-sponsored and voted to pass H.R. 7176, the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act, which aims to reverse President Biden’s indefinite permitting pause on America’s LNG exports.