The Temporary Pause on Review of Pending Applications

to Export Liqueed Natural Gas

On January 26, the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced it is taking a temporary pause in reviewing applications

to export liqueed natural gas (LNG) to non-free trade agreement (non-FTA) countries while the Department works to

update the economic and environmental analyses that inform DOE’s determination whether such applications are in the

public interest. DOE is committed to safeguarding the energy security of our nation and allies, decarbonizing the natural

gas value chain to achieve net-zero emissions by midcentury, and protecting American consumers and the economic

competitiveness of domestic industry and manufacturing. When the analyses are complete, they will be open for public

comment and an announcement will be made in the Federal Register.

action will ensure that any newly requested or pending applications under review are in the best interest of the American

people, and that we are able to aordably meet demand at home and best positioned to compete as global energy markets

evolve.

No Increased Risk to Global Supplies

The temporary pause will not aect current or near-to-medium-term planned supply. The United States has recently

surpassed Qatar and Australia to become the top global exporter of LNG in the world. Today, the United States has 14

billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of export capacity, more than triple our LNG export capacity of 4 Bcf/d in 2018 when

DOE’s economic analysis was last updated. We now have more export capacity than any other country and still have

an additional 12 Bcf/d of capacity under construction that will not be aected by this pause in reviews for new non-FTA

exports. In addition to this extra supply coming online by 2030, there are over 20 Bcf/d in additional volumes authorized

1

The pause in reviews for applications to export U.S.-sourced natural gas as LNG to non-FTA countries does not aect other types of applications for

imports or exports of natural gas that DOE processes under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act, including imports of LNG, imports and exports of natural

gas or LNG to countries with which the United States has a free trade agreement, applications for the export of previously imported LNG, and qualifying

applications to export LNG led under the small-scale exports rule. Current non-FTA authorization holders who wish to seek an extension of their export

commencement date may also submit such an application pursuant to the April 2023 Policy Statement on Export Commencement Deadlines in Natural

Gas Export Authorizations and those applications will be reviewed during the pause.

2

See February 2024 Short-Term Energy Outlook from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

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LNG exports were still just getting underway and our export capacity was 4 Bcf/d, less than one-third of what it is today.

Our world and the global natural gas sector have changed signicantly in just a few years with Russia’s invasion

of Ukraine and use of energy as a weapon to undermine European and global security, and we have an even greater

understanding of the market need, the planned supply for years to come, and the impacts of methane and carbon dioxide

emissions. We need to incorporate this new information into the analysis. Any DOE decisions regarding non-FTA exports

should be made based on the latest market information and analytical approaches.

This action will allow DOE to use the most complete and robust information on market, economic, national security,

environmental (including greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide and methane), and other factors, as the

Department evaluates pending and future applications. DOE will partner with our national laboratories, including Pacic

Northwest National Laboratory and the National Energy Technology Laboratory, to help inform and conduct analysis

Harris Administration believes this update, and corresponding temporary pause, is a practical action that will ensure the

most up-to-date economic and environmental analyses are being utilized to protect against unintended or unnecessary

energy cost increases on everyday American consumers and businesses, particularly in light of the large proportion of U.S.

natural gas supplies already approved for export.

This action is meant to update and inform the long-standing factors DOE has used to evaluate the public interest and

avoid outcomes that could diminish our domestic energy availability, weaken our security, and undermine our economy.

Updating our analysis helps us mitigate risks that could cause domestic consumers and manufacturers to face higher

energy prices because of competition with overseas markets, or by selling our energy resources to competitor countries

that don’t align with our interests and those of our allies.

Approved amounts listed here do not include non-FTA authorizations issued to small-scale facilities, which brings the total to 48.6 Bcf/d. Additional

small-scale authorizations issued specically under DOE’s Small-Scale Rule are not additive to the cumulative total.

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Carbon Managemen