LNG Hearing Examines Administration’s Permit Pause

Today, Brad Crabtree, Assistant Secretary of Energy for Fossil Energy and Carbon Management with the Department of Energy, took the stand to testify in a House Oversight Committee subcommittee hearing, “Exposing the Truth on LNG: How the Administration Played Politics with America’s Energy Future.” During the hearing, the major topics were the pause on liquid natural gas (LNG) permits and when the final report would be released. Crabtree stated that the final report and the 60-day comment period will be announced later this month, in “mid-December.”

Many industry leaders argue that the pause on LNG export permits damages the United States’ energy sector. Representative Pat Fallon argued the pause is “yet another example of this administration’s efforts to kill American energy independence.” Though U.S. LNG exports have quadrupled since 2016, but pausing permits on export facilities will hamper this continued growth, our nation’s ability to provide cleaner fuels to emerging nations and hurt energy jobs across the country.

Crabtree was defensive of the year-long LNG permit pause, stating that the past decades’ exponential growth in natural gas exports warranted examination of its effects on the U.S.’ economics and climate change, the basis for the Energy Department’s study.

Although much was made of the U.S.’s LNG exporting power—number one globally—the pause on permits negatively affects the American people and our allies. Representative Russell Fry (R-SC) highlighted the drastic consequences of the pause, which delayed infrastructure products and jeopardized thousands of jobs.

If the pause persists, America will no longer be able to sustain the top spot for LNG exporting power. U.S. allies will be forced to buy LNG elsewhere and turn to less competitive suppliers, leading to price gouging and undermining energy security. Additionally, reduced LNG permits will push allies and emerging economies to other energy alternatives—such as coal—which will significantly increase the annual production of CO2 emissions globally. The halt of LNG permits threatens economic prosperity and environmental goals.