Staff Reports
The Biden administration’s ongoing war on American energy continues to rear its ugly head, this time with a report from the Department of Energy that critics are calling a hit job on the liquid natural gas (LNG) sector. Earlier this year, a “pause” was mysteriously slapped on the approval process for new LNG export terminals, and now the administration has rolled out a report that seems designed to fit a narrative rather than reflect reality.
The report, released recently, argues that ramping up LNG exports would lead to a staggering increase of 1.5 gigatons in CO2 emissions while also suggesting that American consumers could face price hikes of up to 30%. Of course, one has to wonder if the authors of this report ever stopped to consider the other side of the coin. Energy insiders have pointed out that the report’s predictions ignore the very real possibility that LNG, being much cleaner than coal and other fossil fuels, could actually help lower overall emissions if businesses and consumers choose it over their dirtier alternatives.
Biden tries to thwart MAGA energy agenda with bogus report on LNG:
"'The main takeaway is that a business-as-usual approach is neither sustainable nor advisable, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told reporters ahead of the release of the study. Granholm said in a letter about… pic.twitter.com/mSE6ADnRDq
— Steve Milloy (@JunkScience) December 17, 2024
Adding to the chorus of dissent, Jay Timmons, the president of the National Association of Manufacturers, lambasted the report as politically charged. Timmons noted that it appears to be aimed at those who believe that carbon-based energy should be put on trial and convicted, regardless of the consequences. His organization also revealed that if the LNG pause continues, nearly a million jobs could be at risk over the next two decades. That’s a million jobs—gone, poof—because the Biden administration has decided it knows better than the rest of the country on energy production.
Karen Harbert, from the American Gas Association, chimed in as well, asserting that the report demonstrates an inability to understand the stakes involved. She described the administration’s LNG export pause as a “grave error” that has only added uncertainty in an already volatile market. Harbert pointed out that while the Biden administration turns off the spigot, American allies abroad are suffering from energy shortages thanks to global tensions and misguided policies.
As if it couldn’t get any more ridiculous, it was recently reported that President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to repeal the LNG export pause entirely should he regain power. His commitment to boosting American energy production contrasts sharply with the current administration’s tendency to kneecap it. One must ponder how long Americans will tolerate this administration’s energy recklessness before standing up for sensible policies that both support job growth and help our allies in need of reliable energy.
