SEEC Co-Chairs Praise Biden Administration’s Decision to Thoroughly Evaluate New Natural Gas Exports

Washington, D.C. – The Co-Chairs of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), Reps. Doris Matsui, Mike Quigley, and Paul Tonko, released the following statement after the Biden Administration announced it would thoroughly evaluate the climate and environmental impacts of new natural gas export terminals before approving permits.

“Today, the Biden Administration took an important step by thoroughly examining not only the economic and national security implications of our liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, but also their climate and environmental impacts. In a short amount of time, the U.S. has already become the world’s top exporter of LNG. Enough projects are already permitted and under construction that we are set to double our export capacity. Any future facility that is permitted today will not come online for several years and has the potential to lock in climate pollution for decades to come.

“The overwhelming scientific consensus is that we must deeply and rapidly cut fossil fuel pollution to ensure a habitable planet for future generations. We must fully account for how our fuel exports impact both the planet and the safety of all Americans. Critical to this review is recognizing the disproportionate harms fenceline communities experience from the pollution caused by LNG facilities. We applaud the Administration for pausing any further LNG export terminal approvals until a full and proper analysis of these factors is undertaken.”