Judge Blocks Federal Government’s Pause on LNG Exports

The judge said the decision to halt approvals appeared to be ‘completely without reason or logic.’
Judge Blocks Federal Government’s Pause on LNG Exports
An LNG tanker is guided by tug boats at the Cheniere Sabine Pass LNG export unit in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, U.S., April 14, 2022. Reuters/Marcy de Luna
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A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on July 1, halting the federal government’s temporary moratorium on new licenses to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to countries that are not free trade partners with the United States.

The lawsuit was brought by 16 states, led by Louisiana, arguing that the Department of Energy (DOE) violated federal law by pausing licenses in January to assess the impact of shipments on climate change.