LCV Statement on Western District Of Louisiana Ruling on LNG Pause

For Immediate Release

July 2, 2024

Contact: Kelci Hobson, khobson@lcv.org

Washington, D.C.: In response to the U.S. District Court for Louisiana issuing a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed by 16 Republican Attorneys General challenging the Department of Energy’s pause on permits for new LNG export authorizations, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and Chispa Texas released the following statement:

“President Biden heeded the calls of young people and frontline communities in pausing the development of new liquefied methane gas export facilities. This historic step to take on the greedy Oil and Gas CEOs was the right thing to do for consumers, our communities, and our environment. Unfettered LNG exports raise energy bills, pump toxic pollution into the air that further threaten the health of communities neighboring these massive facilities, and fuel the climate crisis,” said Leah Donahey, Senior Federal Advocacy Campaigns Director at League of Conservation Voters. “Despite the ruling, the Department of Energy can and should continue its much-needed, common sense evaluation of whether or not these dangerous LNG exports are in the public interest. This lawsuit was filed by 16 Republican Attorneys General and is a blatant attempt to aid Big Oil and Gas CEOs who will stop at nothing to line their pockets while harming people, our pocketbooks, and the planet.”

Previously, LCV launched a $2.5 million campaign in support of the Biden administration’s pause on permitting for LNG export facilities. This included a DC cable buy thanking President Biden for this latest decision in an unprecedented string of action to tackle the climate crisis and digital ads focused on the young people who have been pushing for this kind of bold action.

For more information, see  LCV’s LNG fact sheet. 

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“Our communities along the Gulf Coast have suffered from toxic air pollution from fracked methane gas facilities in our backyards, endangering our health with illnesses such as asthma, heart disease, and cancer,” said Chispa Texas Program Director Elida Castillo. “The LNG pause is an opportunity for our Department of Energy to study these harmful effects and fulfill its public duty. But at every turn Big Polluters, and our state leaders who are supported by them, continue to seek irresponsible growth that prioritizes profits over the lives and livelihoods of people and the beautiful spaces we need and love. As our nation literally experiences record-breaking heat everywhere, it’s extremely disappointing that this much-needed action to combat the climate crisis and environmental injustice is facing these hurdles from those in the pockets of the oil and gas industry. Our communities most harmed by emissions of formaldehyde, benzene, carbon monoxide, and other toxins from these facilities should not continue to suffer, so fracked methane gas exporters can post record profits quarter after quarter. Our path forward to bring down energy costs for everyone and confront the global climate crisis begins with this pause and not the false narrative being sold to bring more destructive methane gas projects online.”

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