It’s almost like the old “I Love Lucy Show” where Ricky tells Lucy—you got some ‘splaining to do.”
In this case, it’s Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas in the role of Ricky and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in the role of Lucy. He wants answers and not silence regarding the LNG permitting pause enacted 11 months ago.
He wants answers before the Department releases a study this month on the environmental and economic effects of LNG exports, something the Department said recently it intends to do at mid-month.
“We expect to release the final study … by mid-December for a 60-day public comment period,” Brad Crabtree, an assistant secretary at the DOE, told lawmakers at a House of Representatives hearing.
Rep. Lucas, who chairs the House Science, Space and Technology Committee was joined by subcommittee leaders in sending a letter to Granholm wanting answers about the Biden administration’s pause on the export of liquefield natural gas without scientific justification. They contend it could eventually lead to a permanent ban on one of the country’s most valuable clean energy resources.
In the letter sent by Chairman Lucas (R-OK), Environment Subcommittee Chairman Max Miller (R-OH), Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Jay Obernolte (R-CA), and Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Chairman Brian Babin (R-TX), the members conveyed their dissatisfaction with the Department’s inadequate response to prior communications regarding this critical issue.
“In total, these letters posed 17 questions and made two document requests. In the nine months since these questions were first posed, the Department has failed to provide any substantive answers about the analyses being conducted to establish LNG export authorizations,” Lucas, Miller, Obernolte, and Babin said.
The members emphasized significant concern about the lack of transparency regarding such impactful and far-reaching analyses. They noted that this contradicts the DOE’s scientific integrity policy and undermines both the actual and perceived credibility of federally sponsored research. Additionally, it raises questions about the potential political motivations behind the halt.
“Given the lack of answers and transparency, as well as the failed communication on behalf of the Department, we must assume some level of political motivation drove this halt on LNG exports. The Committee has given the Department ample opportunity to be transparent and to address any doubts of political influence in developing this new analysis. However, the Department continues to choose silence.”
Moving forward, Lucas, Miller, Obernolte, and Babin stress that DOE should refrain from releasing any analysis of U.S. LNG exports, in either draft or final form, until the Department explains its actions and addresses the committee’s concerns.
“We are requesting the Department preserve all documents relating to the any LNG analysis efforts and its drafting, including communications leading up to and during the development of the economic and environmental analyses. Lastly, the Committee requests that Secretary Granholm provide a personal commitment to participate in all oversight efforts of this analysis in all future discussions.”
