Hundreds of Thousands of People Call on Biden to #StopLNG
Frontline activists delivered over 230,000 signatures to the Department of Energy urging President Biden and Secretary Granholm to stop LNG export terminals
Yesterday, a group of frontline activists from Louisiana gathered outside the Department of Energy headquarters in Washington D.C. to deliver over 230,000 petition signatures calling on President Biden and Secretary Granholm to reject permits for over 20 proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities in the Gulf Coast.
The potential climate impacts of these proposed projects are staggering. If all are approved, they could produce over 3.2 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually - close to the entire annual emissions of the European Union. This would undermine administration efforts to combat the climate crisis and invest in environmental justice.
The coalition specifically urged DOE to stop the Calcasieu Pass 2 (CP2) project and update how it determines the public interest when reviewing pending LNG export applications. CP2 would have over 20 times the greenhouse gas emissions of the controversial Willow oil and gas project in Alaska. New polling finds that voters support limits on natural gas exports by a 2-to-1 margin, and want to see new export facilities paused until the proper reviews are completed.
At the event, speakers highlighted the threats these LNG terminals pose to local communities in Louisiana. Roishetta Ozana of Sulphur, Louisiana and founder of the Vessel Project said, "CP2 – the proposed Liquefied Natural Gas project that is proposed to come right to my backyard, where me and my children live – would be the most harmful facility built in the United States." She urged the administration to halt the project.
Shrimpers and fishermen have helped lead the opposition to LNG terminals, citing the likelihood that the projects will wipe out their way of life because LNG export facilities like CP2 require heavy dredging of channels and rivers, devastating wildlife and commercial fishing in the process. Cameron Parish fisherman Travis Dardar called on the administration yesterday to stop sacrificing his industry for the fossil fuel industry, saying "You don’t sacrifice one industry for another, you invest in the one we already have."
The movement to #StopLNG has been rapidly gaining momentum online, similar to the virality of the Willow Project, which amassed hundreds of millions of views online and put major pressure on the administration. Videos from online creators and activists on CP2 and LNG gained over 7M views this month alone.
Online influencer Birdie Sam, who generated thousands of signatures via engagement on social media was also present. “Earlier this year, this administration failed all of us by approving the Willow Project. I am here to see that the Department of Energy doesn’t fail the communities of southwest Louisiana in the same way.”
Momentum is growing both locally and nationally to stop the approval of these proposed LNG terminals. If the Biden administration is serious about climate action and environmental justice, it must heed activists' calls and halt the permitting process. Building out more gas infrastructure would only exacerbate the climate crisis.
Here’s what you need to know when talking about the proposed LNG buildout and CP2 terminal:
The rapid expansion of LNG exports from the United States poses major threats related to climate change, community impacts, and consumer prices.
Despite widespread concerns, the Biden administration continues approving new LNG export facilities, and will soon issue a decision on a proposal from Venture Global to construct CP2 – a massive terminal that would export the largest volume of LNG ever.
If approved, this new facility would unleash huge amounts of greenhouse gas emissions – over 190 million tons of CO2 equivalent per year. That's more than 42 million gas-powered cars and over 50 coal plants worth of emissions.
Venture Global already has one export facility that violated air quality permits 84% of the days it operated. Expanding LNG exports concentrates dirty infrastructure in vulnerable communities like Cameron Parish, Louisiana, where communities are already feeling the devastating health impacts of CP1.
The proposed facility would destroy over 1,700 acres of vital wetlands and sit very close to the Gulf of Mexico, threatening crucial storm protections for the state. Combined with other planned projects, it would also put the entire region at risk of a catastrophic explosion.
Higher LNG exports also drive up energy prices for American consumers already struggling with inflation. As more gas gets shipped overseas, domestic supply decreases. This allows oil and gas companies to charge higher prices in the U.S. market for home heating, electricity, and even essential products made using natural gas. American consumers end up footing the bill so fossil fuel executives can reap greater profits from foreign buyers.
The Biden Administration has the power to deny approval for this facility and other proposed LNG projects like it. By deeming CP2, “not in the public interest,” the Department of Energy can use reasoning and analysis that sets a precedent for additional LNG export license applications and upholds the Biden Administration commitments and policies on climate and environmental justice.
The fight isn’t over yet. Over 230,000 people have signed on to petitions calling on the administration to #StopLNG. Have you? Sign on today!