Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 7176, the Unlocking Domestic LNG Potential Act. The bill would remove the Department of Energy’s (DOE) legal obligation to assess the full impacts of LNG expansion on the economy, consumer energy costs, the climate, and local communities. After the vote, Earthjustice Legislative Representative Auburn Bell issued the following statement: 

“At a time when we need bold action to address climate change and environmental injustice, the last thing we need is legislation that throttles DOE’s ability to make public interest determinations for LNG exports in a transparent, consistent, and scientifically sound way. We’ve long known LNG to be a dirty business. Building more LNG export infrastructure will lock us in to decades of fossil fuel reliance, drive up energy costs for consumers, and continue to endanger the health of fenceline communities. We urge the Senate to reject this harmful, short-sighted proposal that would further weaken the regulatory safeguards we need to fight climate change and protect communities.”