Biden-era study on US natural gas exports broke with climate goals, was buried: officials
The Biden administration has come under fire for allegedly burying a final draft report that failed to prove a link between an increase in U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals and greenhouse gas emissions. According to a copy of the findings obtained by Fox News Digital, the report was completed by U.S. Energy Department scientists and federal contractors in September 2023 but was not released to the public.
The draft report, titled “Energy, Economic, and Environmental Assessment of U.S. LNG Exports,” found that an increase in U.S. LNG exports and natural gas production did not have a significant impact on global or U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. It also did not lead to a substantial increase in energy prices for consumers, contrary to claims made by the Biden administration.
Senior Trump administration officials accused the Biden administration of withholding the report from Congress and the American public. They claimed that then-Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and the White House had misrepresented the impact of LNG exports on consumers and the environment.
The findings of the 2023 report contradicted the Biden administration’s decision to pause all new U.S. LNG export terminals in January 2024, citing the need to assess environmental and economic impacts more thoroughly. The administration faced pressure from progressive Democrats to scale back LNG exports, which had reached an all-time high during Biden’s term.
Despite requests from the House Oversight Committee to release the report, the Biden administration continued to delay its publication and refused to testify about its findings. This led to speculation about the administration’s motives in withholding the information from the public.
The release of the report in 2023 would have provided more definitive data on the impact of LNG exports on the U.S. economy and environment. However, the Biden administration chose to wait until after the presidential election to release a study that suggested consumer prices could rise by as much as 30% due to the increase in exports.
Industry groups and Republicans criticized the administration’s study as exaggerated and unfounded, questioning the justification for the 10-month pause on new LNG export terminals. The controversy surrounding the handling of the report has raised concerns about transparency and accountability within the Biden administration.
Fox News Digital reached out to a spokesperson for the Biden administration for comment on the allegations. Breanne Deppisch, a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, has been covering the developments related to the LNG export report and its implications for the energy sector and environmental policy.
