(Creator: J. Scott Applewhite | Credit: AP)
Four Oklahomans in the U.S. House were among more than 150 Republicans who sent a letter to the President this week, blasting his freezing of permits for new LNG projects across the nation. At least seven Democrats also sent a similar letter to the White House, critical of the President’s move to pause the new approvals.
Reps. Kevin Hern, Frank Lucas, Tom Cole and Stephanie Bice signed the letter which stated, “This is economically and strategically dangerous and unnecessary.”
The lawmakers also told the President, “Under both Democratic and Republican administrations, DOE has consistently found that U.S. LNG exports serve the “public interest” because they contribute positive economic benefits and strengthen energy security for the American people, and also have the potential to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The two letters critical of the President arrived on the same day. The second letter sent by the seven Democrats was also signed by more than a dozen Republicans who are part of the bipartisan Energy Export Caucus. The Hill identified the seven Democrats as Reps. Henry Cuellar (Texas), Lou Correa (Calif.), Mary Sattler Peltola (Alaska), Vicente Gonzalez (Texas), Jared Golden (Maine), Jim Costa (Calif.) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.).
The letter signed by the Oklahoma Representatives was led by Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington. The letter demanded the president “expeditiously approve all pending applications to increase the global supply of natural gas.”
It was Jan. 26 when the President issued his moratorium of the permitting process for new U.S. LNG export sites, a decision highly pushed by environmentalists.
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