US extends comment deadline on Biden-era LNG study to protect approvals

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. has extended the comment period on a federal study of the economic and environmental impacts of the booming liquefied (LNG) export business after advisers had urged President Donald Trump to take a patient approach to prevent approvals from getting overturned in court.

The U.S. Department of Energy said late on Tuesday that it is extending the comment period from Feb. 18 to March 20 in order to get “appropriate stakeholder input.”

Trump has promised swift action on reversing former President Joe Biden’s pause on the LNG export approvals to big markets in Asia and Europe. On his first day in office, Trump lifted the freeze by ordering the DOE to resume considering the applications.

Actually approving exports, however, will take time. Trump’s advisers had urged him to take a patient approach to restarting approvals for LNG exports, fearing rapid approvals would only get overturned in court, Reuters reported on Jan. 7.

The advisers had recommended an extension in the comment period to allow time for pro-LNG interests to challenge the study and help thwart any potential lawsuits when they approve the pending export permits.

While the U.S. became the world’s largest LNG exporter in 2023, Biden’s moratorium delayed projects including Venture Global’s CP2 project, the Commonwealth LNG plant, and Energy Transfer (NYSE:)’s Lake Charles complex, all in Louisiana.

Biden had ordered the pause about a year ago in order to conduct the study, which his administration said showed that government should be cautious about the climate impacts of unfettered LNG exports.

The DOE also said it directed the office of fossil energy carbon management to resume consideration of pending LNG export applications.