The Biden administration on Tuesday released a long-awaited assessment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, the results of which could complicate President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to unlock the U.S. energy industry.

Announced by the Department of Energy (DOE). study It’s been nearly a year since the administration announced in January that it would suspend approvals of new export capacity to non-free trade agreement countries while it conducted a new assessment of whether additional exports were in the public interest. While the report stopped short of calling for an outright ban on new export approvals, it did suggest that increased exports would drive up domestic prices, increase emissions and possibly help China, a conclusion that the incoming Trump team There is a possibility to legalize projects approved by. vulnerability, According to Go to Bloomberg News.

“The main takeaway is that a business-as-usual approach is neither sustainable nor a good idea,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said. said reporters on Tuesday. “American consumers, communities and the climate will pay the price.” (Related: Biden administration appeals to avoid freeze on new natural gas exports)

Last night ICYMI:

Government watchdog groups allege that the Biden-Harris Department of Energy effectively misled the public by imposing a moratorium on LNG approvals. @DailyCaller

Right away 🧵

— Nick Pope (@realnickpope) October 3, 2024

President Trump has promised to lift the freeze on export approvals as soon as he takes office in January 2025 as part of a broader “policy.”energy domination” plan to untie American energy producers, lower domestic prices, and strengthen America’s economic power on the world stage. It could take up to a year for the Trump administration to release its own analysis, with Bloomberg News reporting on Tuesday that “Study showing additional exports do more harm than good The approval could be subject to legal challenges.”

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington, denounced the investigation in a statement Tuesday as “a clear attempt to solidify Joe Biden’s rushed policies on the environment,” saying the entire LNG outage was They argued that it was a political choice aimed at appeasing the interests of hardliners.

Notably, S&P Global announced its own release. analysis An LNG market study on Tuesday found that increased U.S. LNG exports are unlikely to have a “significant impact” on domestic natural gas prices, a key claim in a new DOE study. It’s contradictory. Members of the Biden administration are reportedly This is influenced by a dubious 2023 study by a Cornell University professor who claimed that natural gas exports are worse for the environment than domestically mined coal, and officials will also announce a moratorium on LNG exports. Earlier, he reportedly met with a 25-year-old TikTok influencer who is leading an online campaign against LNG exports. January 2024.

Mike Somers, president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, said of the DOE’s new report, “Now is the time to lift the moratorium on new LNG export licenses and restore U.S. energy leadership around the world. I’ve come,” he said. “After nearly a year of politically motivated outages that have only weakened global energy security, we need to meet growing demand for affordable and reliable energy while supporting our allies overseas.” It has never been clearer that U.S. LNG is critical.

Ann Bradbury, CEO of the U.S. Exploration and Production Council, also cited the Department of Energy’s report in a statement and advised the public to be skeptical of the Biden administration’s efforts to play politics with natural gas exports. did.

“There is strong bipartisan support for U.S. LNG exports, as research shows that U.S. LNG exports strengthen the U.S. economy, strengthen global security, and advance collective emissions reduction goals. “Meanwhile, natural gas prices in the U.S. remain affordable and stable due to abundant domestic LNG supplies,” Bradbury said. “U.S. LNG exports are fundamental to global energy security, providing reliable supplies to our allies and reducing emissions by displacing high-carbon fuels overseas, and supporting this critical sector. It is critical that any impacting research or policy reflects thorough analysis and active collaboration with the United States.” Further attempts by the current administration to politicize or distort the impact of U.S. LNG exports warrant skepticism. ”

All content produced by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent, nonpartisan news distribution service, is available free of charge to legitimate news publishers with large audiences. All republished articles must include our logo, reporter byline, and DCNF affiliation. If you have any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact us at licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.