President Joe Biden appears to be looking to expand his war on American energy in 2024 with his administration's latest move delaying a decision on "what would be the largest natural gas export terminal in the United States."
From day one of the Biden administration, the president has used executive actions to pursue his radical "green" energy transition as part of his climate crusade to "end" fossil fuels, and his latest target is liquefied natural gas (LNG), specifically the terminals through which U.S. producers export their product. As with many of his previous climate edicts issued by executive fiat because his policies wouldn't pass the people's representatives in Congress, Biden is citing "climate change" for this latest decision.
According to reports based on leaks to the New York Times by anonymous officials, the White House "is directing the Energy Department to expand its evaluation" of the Calcasieu Pass 2 proposal for a 546-acre terminal site in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. The $10 billion project "would export up to 20 million tons of LNG per year" according to KPLC. Their report notes that it's "likely" the Biden administration's decision "won't be made until after the presidential election in November."
How convenient for Mr. Biden who, desperate to shore up support within his party — especially among young Democrats, many of whom expressed outrage at the president's few decisions allowing the fossil fuel industry to expand operations within the U.S. — would rather avoid headlines about his administration's approval of more LNG export terminals.
According to the New York Times, Biden told the Energy Department to take a closer look at the CP2 proposal "to consider its impact on climate change, as well as the economy and national security."
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Whenever a decision finally comes, the Energy Department's Biden-directed review of the CP2 project could mean bad news for an additional 16 proposed LNG terminals that have been proposed by energy companies. It could also bring a historic decision as, according to the Times, the Department of Energy "has never rejected a proposed natural gas project because of its expected environmental impact." If Biden intends to maintain that status quo, that's just more evidence that the president is looking to delay the inevitable approval of the project — and potentially as many as 16 more — until after voters cast their ballots in November.
Venture Global, the entity behind the CP2 project, is none too please with the Biden administration's leaking about its review of the proposal:
Response from @Venture_Global Spokeswoman, Shaylyn Hynes:
— Venture Global LNG (@Venture_Global) January 24, 2024
"It appears that individuals within the White House are trying to force policymaking through leaks to the media. This continues to create uncertainty about whether our allies can rely on US LNG for their energy security.… https://t.co/Rsjje5rjTH
Neither are lawmakers. Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said on the Senate floor this week that Biden's "war on affordable domestic energy has been bad news for American workers and consumers alike" and warned that the admin's latest action "would amount to a functional ban on new LNG permits."
Both U.S. Senators from Louisiana have also weighed in on the Biden administration's decision and emphasized this decision affects more than just domestic energy. "This is war on our allies," emphasized Sen. Bill Cassidy. "They depend on us for their energy and economic security. For apparently political purposes, the Biden administration is deliberately postponing permitting. Putin must have designed this strategy," Cassidy quipped.
"The longer the Biden administration drags its feet on approving new paths for America to develop and supply its allies with clean natural gas, the more this White House empowers our enemies in China and Russia — and the more the American people pay higher energy prices," explained Sen. John Kennedy. "Our economy and national security can’t afford for President Biden to stay beholden to climate fanatics who are happy to see our country sacrifice jobs and energy independence for nothing."
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