USA: 16 States Sue Biden over LNG Export Restrictions

The administration of US President Joe Biden will have to face 16 lawsuits filed by an equal number of attorneys general from various Republican-led states.

In January 2024, Biden halted projects to build new liquefied natural gas export plants. That choice has displeased some states, most notably Texas, Louisiana, and Florida, which are demanding that the Department of Energy lift the blockade.

The lawsuit was filed March 21 and is allegedly based on the fact that the government has no authority to deny permits.

The shutdown, which the Biden administration wanted and attributed to environmental reasons, would ultimately hurt the economies of the U.S. and European nations, for which US LNG has become an important source of energy supply over the past two years. 16 states explain that the Natural Gas Act requires a prompt demonstration that the project is not in the public interest in order for it to be blocked. In 2018, US LNG export capacity was 4 billion cubic feet per day (BCFD), a share that has tripled in recent years due to new projects.

According to prosecutors, the choice is linked to electoral motives, whereas by stopping new projects, Biden agreed to the requests of environmental associations in order to consolidate his electorate.