The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Tuesday rejected environmentalists’ argument that the Energy Department’s decision to remove a free-trade restriction on liquefied natural gas exports will increase the volume of fuel being exported and harm a local environmentalist who lives near the terminal in question.
The decision comes amid an ongoing fight between the LNG industry and the Biden administration over fuel exports and will allow the Golden Pass terminal to remain on track to start exporting up to 937 billion cubic feet per year of liquefied natural gas by 2026.
The case centers on DOE’s 2022 decision to lift a restriction that required the Golden Pass-operated terminal in Jefferson County, Texas, to set aside 129 billion cubic feet of the facility’s fuel exclusively for free-trade countries.
Sierra Club argued DOE’s decision will harm one of its members by increasing the volume and therefore the tanker traffic leaving the facility. This would negatively impact the aesthetic or recreational interests of member Mary Bernard, who boats and fishes in waters near the terminal, according to Sierra Club’s complaint.
