Energy Department Urged to Reject Pending Liquified Natural Gas Export Permits

Coalition of environmental groups and Indigenous leaders demand end to fossil fuel expansion

Department of Energy set to decide on 10 export permits in coming months

A coalition of environmental groups and Indigenous leaders are urging the U.S. Department of Energy to reject 10 pending permits for liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities. The groups argue that approving these permits would lock the United States into decades of reliance on fossil fuels and undermine the country's climate goals.

The coalition, which includes the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Indigenous Environmental Network, sent a letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Tuesday outlining their concerns. The groups argue that LNG exports would increase greenhouse gas emissions, contribute to air and water pollution, and harm Indigenous communities.

The Energy Department is currently reviewing the 10 pending LNG export permits. A decision on whether to approve the permits is expected in the coming months.

Coalition's concerns about LNG exports

The coalition's letter to Granholm outlines several concerns about LNG exports, including:

• Increased greenhouse gas emissions: LNG is a fossil fuel, and burning it releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The coalition argues that approving new LNG export facilities would increase greenhouse gas emissions and make it more difficult to meet the United States' climate goals.
• Air and water pollution: LNG export facilities can release air and water pollutants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter. The coalition argues that these pollutants can harm human health and the environment.
• Harm to Indigenous communities: Many of the proposed LNG export facilities are located in Indigenous communities. The coalition argues that these facilities would harm Indigenous communities by displacing residents, polluting the environment, and disrupting traditional ways of life.

Call for a just transition to clean energy

The coalition is calling on the Energy Department to reject the 10 pending LNG export permits and to instead focus on a just transition to clean energy. The coalition argues that this transition would create jobs, reduce pollution, and protect the climate.

"We urge you to reject these LNG export permits and to instead invest in a just transition to clean energy," the coalition wrote in its letter to Granholm. "This transition will create jobs, reduce pollution, and protect the climate."