Mon Sep 09 14:59:29 UTC 2024: ## Over 250 Groups Urge DOE to Reject LNG Exports Amidst Record Heat and Climate Crisis

**WASHINGTON, D.C.** – Over 250 public interest groups are demanding that the Department of Energy (DOE) reject pending liquefied natural gas (LNG) export permits, citing the record-breaking heat and the worsening climate crisis. This call comes after a federal judge lifted a hold on LNG exports, potentially paving the way for increased fossil fuel production.

Proponents of LNG exports argue that they are essential to support US allies in Europe. However, the groups argue that European LNG consumption is at a 10-year low and is projected to peak by 2025. Moreover, several unaffected LNG export facilities are already under construction, rendering additional approvals unnecessary.

“After the hottest summer on record, it’s clear that expanding climate-heating gas exports is not in the public interest,” said Lauren Parker, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute. “There’s no reason on Earth to approve more LNG exports that lock in decades of damage to the climate, human communities, and imperiled species.”

The groups further point out that the energy-intensive process of exporting LNG, coupled with methane leaks along the supply chain, may make it more climate-harming than coal. Exporting LNG also carries devastating consequences for communities on the Gulf Coast exposed to flaring, toxic air pollution, and other environmental harms.

“With climate-induced disasters becoming a regular part of our lives, it’s hard to understand how anyone can prioritize fossil gas exports over our health and safety,” said Roishetta Ozane, founder and director of the Vessel Project. “The Department of Energy has the power to reject these LNG export permits, and it’s crucial they do so.”

The groups are urging the DOE to prioritize climate action and reject all pending LNG export permits, ensuring a future that protects families and the planet.

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