The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has rejected a challenge to a major liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal in Texas. In particular, the Court recently ruled that the Department of Energy’s (DOE) conducted the necessary environmental and economic reviews before it approved the Freeport LNG export terminal project.
The Sierra Club Staff Attorney Nathan Matthews released the following statement in response: “The court, DOE, and communities across the country all agree that exporting LNG will mean more fracking, and more of the air and water pollution that goes with it. We are disappointed with the Court’s refusal to require DOE to use available tools to inform communities of the impact of this additional fracking prior to approving exports. This LNG export approval creates unnecessary risks for the people of Freeport, Texas, and for every community that is saddled with fracking rigs next to their homes, schools, and public spaces.”
According to sources, the D.C. Circuit had previously rejected environmentalists’ complaints over the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval decisions for the Freeport project and another terminal in Louisiana.
