Big Win for Environmental Justice, But the Fight Isn't Over
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VICTORY: Biden Administration Heeds Our Call to Halt LNG Export Infrastructure
While the Biden administration has done much to advance environmental and climate justice, we have been pushing back ([link removed]) hard (and were among the first to do so) on its support for liquified natural gas (LNG) and the permitting of infrastructure - pipelines, refineries, and ports - being built to export this fossil fuel. Not only does such infrastructure encourage the continued use of fossil fuels, but most of these projects are being built in frontline communities (primarily in the Gulf Coast) already devastated by the environmental impacts of petroleum, natural gas, and petrochemical facilities.
We are happy to report that the administration has announced that it is pausing the permitting of pending and future LNG infrastructure. During this pause, the Department of Energy will conduct a review of these projects to gauge their economic and environmental impact on local communities. This review will be open to public comment. President Biden said in a statement that
"during this period, we will take a hard look at the impacts of LNG exports on energy costs, America's energy security, and our environment," adding that he "sees the climate crisis for what it is: the existential threat of our time."
While we would like to see this pause become permanent, we are taking a moment to celebrate our ongoing efforts to block the permitting of these facilities. In our statement ([link removed]) , which was picked up and shared by the White House ([link removed]) , Peggy Shepard said:
“This necessary and crucial reevaluation on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals with a focus on DOE’s public interest determination is a step in the right direction, and we hope that this gives the Administration the space to partner with advocates to fully analyze the impact of the U.S. LNG policy on communities that are burdened with fossil fuel infrastructure and pollution. WE ACT was one of the first environmental justice groups to call for a pause ([link removed]) on LNG projects and for the Administration to broaden the scope of the public interest reviews to address cumulative impacts. We have been strong on this front sharing our concerns and expertise with federal agencies, submitting comments, and standing with frontline heroes to make a day like today possible. We are thankful for the coalition of proactive frontline leadership and partnership on the Hill to sound
the alarm on this issue. It is thanks to collective efforts like our Wrong Direction ([link removed]) campaign, and most directly those on the frontline that experience the devastating burdens of fossil fuel pollution who held the line and made their voices count. Individuals like Zulene Mayfield in Chester, PA, who stood firm to protect her community from being a sacrificial zone defined by pollution caused sickness and death. While we recognize this step forward, celebrating the hundreds of thousands of people organizing around LNG and the end of Fossil Fuel Infrastructure, we also must underscore how this issue is as much for the health and well-being of disadvantaged and vulnerable communities, as it is in response to the urgency around the climate crisis.”
We also encourage you to read this blog post ([link removed]) that Jasmine Jennings co-authored with NRDC’s Sustainable FERC Project Staff Attorney Morgan Johnson on the Biden administration’s decision to pause LNG exports.
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