AsianFin -- U.S. President Donald Trump has officially lifted the moratorium on new U.S. licenses for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, fulfilling a campaign promise to reverse the measure imposed by his predecessor, Joe Biden. The decision, included in a broad executive order on energy, directs the U.S. Energy Department to resume reviewing applications for new LNG export permits, which had been halted in January 2024.
Biden's administration had paused the permit process to study the environmental, economic, and national security impacts of increasing U.S. LNG exports. A report released last month indicated that expanding exports could drive up natural gas prices for domestic consumers and increase global emissions. These concerns had posed challenges for the Energy Department's efforts to approve new permits quickly.
Trump's executive order reopens the permitting process, allowing companies like Venture Global LNG Inc., Energy Transfer LP, and Commonwealth LNG to move forward with their multi-billion-dollar export projects. In the directive, Trump emphasized the importance of considering the economic and employment benefits of new LNG exports, as well as the impact on the security of U.S. allies and partners.
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