January 26, 2024

Casten Statement on Biden Administration Pausing New LNG Export Terminals

Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) released the following statement regarding the Biden Administration’s announcement that it will temporarily pause pending approvals of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports: 

“We can’t claim to be decarbonizing our economy while increasing the natural gas we send overseas. Natural gas is mostly methane, one of the most powerful global warming pollutants. When we ship it overseas, it leaks so much that it might not be any better than the coal it’s replacing. Plus, it competes with zero-emitting solar and wind. The work that Congress and the Biden Administration have done to grow renewable energy in the United States is fantastic and something we should celebrate, but we shouldn’t negate that by hooking other countries on our dirty fuels. 

“I commend President Biden for making the right decision and pausing the approval of new LNG exports to better assess whether these terminals are actually in the national interest.”

Last November, Rep. Casten spoke at a Committee on Science, Space, and Technology hearing regarding the approval of new LNG export terminals. He also joined Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-02) in a letter to the Biden Administration urging President Biden to implement this pause.

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