The Biden administration announced on Friday that it has paused all new liquified natural gas (LNG) exports until the Department of Energy (DOE) can assess their potential impact on climate change, “the existential threat of our time.” This temporary delay, which will take effect despite record high demand for US gas exports in Europe and Asia, was announced shortly after President Joe Biden met with climate activists and social media influencers leading campaigns against the LNG industry.
In a joint statement on Friday morning, the White House and the Department of Energy explained that the carbon emission assessment could take more than a year to complete. However, as Biden stressed, stopping the overwhelming threat of climate change is worth the cost.
“In every corner of the country and the world, people are suffering the devastating toll of climate change,” the statement said. “Historic hurricanes and floods wiping out homes, businesses, and houses of worship. Wildfires destroying whole neighborhoods and forcing families to leave their communities behind. Record temperatures affecting the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans, especially the most vulnerable.”
But despite boasting of the administration’s efforts to invest in clean energy, advance “environmental justice,” and unite world leaders against fossil fuels, the administration has determined that “more action is needed.”
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“My Administration is announcing today a temporary pause on pending decisions of Liquefied Natural Gas exports – with the exception of unanticipated and immediate national security emergencies,” Biden continued. “During this period, we will take a hard look at the impacts of LNG exports on energy costs, America’s energy security, and our environment. This pause on new LNG approvals sees the climate crisis for what it is: the existential threat of our time.”
The president went on to praise “young people and frontline communities” for their activism against the LNG industry and also condemned “MAGA Republicans” for denying the urgency of the climate problem.
While the administration did not specify which LNG projects will be directly affected by the pause, officials indicated that it will be focused on those that have already gone through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s lengthy approval process. Federal data filings indicate that 11 such projects are awaiting DOE approval to begin construction, and an additional six are pending with the FERC.
The United States currently leads the world in liquified natural gas exports, as well as oil and gas production. In recent years, the country’s seven export terminals have been a critical alternative to the Russian oil and gas sources upon which much of Europe and Asia had come to rely before the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
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Despite the critical role of this infrastructure in America’s economic and national security, environmental activists have denounced the industry as a lethal threat to the Earth’s climate. In December, more than 150 scientists warned Biden that any new LNG construction would “put us on a continued path toward escalating climate chaos.”
At the same time, online influencers launched campaigns to shut down LNG development. One such activist is Alex Haraus, a 25-year-old TikTok influencer from Colorado. According to the New York Times, Haraus has led an organized effort to protest new projects in the Gulf of Mexico, bringing more than 7 million followers to his cause.
Biden administration officials reportedly met with Haraus and other influencers in the days leading up to Friday’s announcement, likely playing a significant role in the final decision.
Connor Walcott is a staff writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X (Twitter) and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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