Biden diverges from Obama-era policy on natural gas exports

In a move that runs counter to a policy put in place by former President Barack Obama, current President Joe Biden has just made a significant decision concerning exports of natural gas, as The Hill reports.

According to Reuters, Biden on Friday halted approvals for all pending and future requests to export liquefied natural gas, doing so under pressure from environmentalist activists.

Reversing course

During his time in office, Obama favored an aggressive natural gas export policy, and it was one that Biden left in place for the majority of his current term.

However, following the course championed by many in the environmental lobby, Biden announced the aforementioned pause on permits for natural gas export terminals, including those awaiting a green light.

With the pause in place, according to Biden, the administration will have a chance to “take a hard look at the impacts of [liquefied natural gas] exports on energy costs, America's energy security, and our environment.

The reprieve will likely carry Biden beyond the November election, and it could go a long way toward placating a significant element of his voter base.

Divergent views

As The Hill explains, environmentalist groups and some congressional Democrats have warned that export terminals have the potential to spark a rise in the burning of the chemical, thereby undermining the transition to renewable energy sources.

That, in turn, would hinder initiatives aimed at addressing climate change, they argue.

The position represents a stark difference from that held during the Obama years, when the administration did not view climate change advocacy and the expansion of natural gas exports as being in opposition to one another.

Obama officials asserted that gas exports could serve as a “bridge fuel” spanning the shift from coal-based power prevalent in the U.S. to a future reliant on renewables.

Reactions pour in

Gas industry representatives as well as Republicans in Congress swiftly slammed Biden's decision, with Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) stating that the administration is “prioritizing the wishes of radical activists over U.S. energy security and the security of our allies.”

Far-left environmental activists, while pleased with Biden's first step, are advocating for even more dramatic moves, including making the halt a permanent one, and as such, it remains to be seen precisely how much goodwill the president receives from the progressive wing of his party by making what is seen by others as a detrimental policy change.