A Biden administration report on the environmental impact of increased liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports could further delay President-elect Trump's efforts to immediately approve new licenses for the fuel, experts say. Pointed out.
Brad Crabtree, assistant secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management at the Department of Energy (DOE), told lawmakers last week that the report aims to measure the economic and environmental impacts of increased U.S. fuel exports. said. Released by mid-December. Under the Natural Gas Act, the DOE must assess whether exports are in the public interest before issuing new permits.
While some experts dismiss the report's significance, citing the fact that President Trump could roll back any regulations Biden has imposed on natural gas, some experts say it's bait for environmentalists who want to go after the Trump administration. Some experts suggested that it could.
Kevin Book, managing director of Clearview Energy Partners, an independent research and analysis firm covering the natural gas sector, said, “Sponsor companies are spending billions of dollars on weak permits, limited time periods, and complete outage work.'' I won't spend too much money on it,” he said. “The industry is right to expect support.” [from the Trump administration] However, the document must be sealed. ”
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US Department of Energy Headquarters in Washington, DC (Getty)
Book said that if this report is released and reveals why new natural gas permits are not in the public's interest, the incoming Trump administration will need to come up with another study, or a different interpretation of the study. I pointed out that it would be. The goal is to get to a point where we can say a clear “yes” to new natural gas permits. Book said the process could take weeks or months, if not quarters, depending on what the Biden administration's new research shares.
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“I am a strong supporter of LNG exports. Unfortunately, this report requires the Trump team to respond to comments and the report could be used as material for LNG exports, even if it is unsubstantiated. “This could slow down the flow of new LNG export licenses,” said John, president of the nonprofit organization Conserve America, who served as DOE's acting deputy secretary and chief operating officer during the second George W. Bush administration. said Jeff Kupfer.
Tank cars before loading at Elbehaven port in Brunsbüttel, Germany, April 25, 2016. (Bodo Marks/Photo in partnership with Getty Images)
Other energy experts agree that the measure poses a potential legal hurdle for the Trump administration, potentially delaying new natural gas permits, but that there is no need to worry too much. He suggested that no.
“This is a last-ditch effort,” said Trisha Curtis, CEO of Petronas and an economist at the American Energy Association. “Could there be a legal setback? Yes, they will fight a legal battle, just like there was a legal setback under the Biden administration. But in a rush to release findings by the end of the year, If so, then there's a two-month comment period, but I don't know if it's really going to work, especially if you have a comment period during the Trump administration.”
The Biden administration announced in January that it was “pausing” the issuance of new natural gas export permits, including a review of the current environmental impact analysis that DOE uses to meet requirements under the Natural Gas Act. It also included a review. Under the measure, passed nearly 75 years ago, the DOE must evaluate whether natural gas exports are in the public interest before issuing new permits.
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President Biden has repeatedly taken aim at the fossil fuel industry as part of broader climate action. (Getty Images)
This requirement does not include countries with free trade agreements, but Book said 80% of the liquefied natural gas market is in countries that do not have free trade agreements with the United States.
President Trump has expressed his desire to immediately lift the natural gas supply suspension in order to increase domestic energy production. This is one of several steps he plans to roll back the Biden administration's climate change regulations. He wrote on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday: “Any individual or company that invests more than $1 billion in the United States must receive full, expedited approval and You will receive permission.''Please approve. Get ready to rock!!!”
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“Families have suffered over the past four years of America's energy wars, which have sparked the worst inflation crisis in a generation,” Caroline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump-Vance transition, told Fox News Digital. Ta. “Voters re-elected President Trump by a wide margin, giving him the authority to carry out the promises he made during his campaign, including lowering energy costs for consumers. It will increase employment and lower the cost of living for working families. ”
Fox News Digital reached out to the DOE for comment but did not receive a response by press time.
