(NewsNation) — Sixteen Republican-led states sued the Biden administration Thursday over its decision to halt new permits to facilities exporting liquified natural gas, saying the pause will hurt the industry and cost thousands of jobs.
The states, which include Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, filed their suit in federal court in Louisiana and claimed the U.S. Department of Energy’s pause on exports ignores regulatory processes and will deprive the states of significant revenue.
“Instead of supporting clean energy production right here at home, the Biden administration is hijacking the global energy supply chain to the detriment of Louisiana, our nation, international stability and developing democracies abroad,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a news release.
The pause was issued by the Biden administration in January after months of protest and efforts by environmentalists and youth groups who urged the administration to stop permit approvals for liquified natural gas (LNG), which they claim will drastically increase pollution and the world’s dependence on oil and gas.
The administration said the pause would give them more time to study the impacts of LNG.
“Today, we have an evolving understanding of the market need for LNG, the long-term supply of LNG and the perilous impacts of methane on our planet,” the White House said in a statement when the temporary pause was put in place. “We also must adequately guard against risks to the health of our communities, especially frontline communities in the United States who disproportionately shoulder the burden of pollution from new export facilities.”
The U.S. is the world’s largest exporter of LNG, which is created when gas has been cooled to a liquid state for shipping and storage. Many of the export facilities are located on the Gulf Coast.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that LNG export capacity from North America is likely to more than double through 2027.
