News reports indicate that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is likely to vote on the approval of the controversial Calcasieu Pass 2 liquid natural gas (LNG) export facility on Thursday. If approved, the facility would be free to export LNG to at least 20 nations that hold free trade status with the U.S. – even while President Biden’s temporary pause on new LNG export facility approvals through the Department of Energy remains in effect as the agency evaluates the public interest of new exports to non-free trade countries.

In response, Food & Water Watch Policy Director Jim Walsh issued the following statement:

“FERC’s approval of this massive new LNG export facility would cut through the heart of President Biden’s LNG pause, realizing one of the largest fossil fuel export projects ever proposed in the United States. Biden claims to be concerned by the devastating climate and environmental impacts of continued LNG development, yet the country is on track to export more and more LNG for years to come – with or without his temporary partial pause.

“If President Biden is truly serious about standing up for environmental justice and tackling fossil fuel-driven climate chaos, he must take substantive, permanent action to halt new oil and gas extraction and exports, and divert greater resources to ramping up production of clean, renewable wind and solar energy – now.”