Biden Administration Accused of Suppressing LNG Export Report
Washington D.C. – The Biden administration is facing accusations of intentionally suppressing a draft report that contradicted its justification for halting new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals, according to documents exclusively previewed by Fox News Digital. The report, completed in September 2023 by U.S. Energy Department scientists and federal contractors, concluded that increased U.S. LNG exports did not significantly impact global greenhouse gas emissions or domestic energy prices.
The controversy surrounds President Biden’s decision in January 2024 to pause approvals for new LNG export terminals, citing concerns about environmental and economic impacts. Critics argue that the administration’s decision was politically motivated, designed to appease progressive factions within the Democratic party pushing for stricter climate policies.
According to senior Trump administration officials, the Biden administration deliberately delayed releasing the report, preventing the House Oversight Committee from accessing the data. The Daily Caller News Foundation initially reported the alleged suppression of the study.
Fox News independently reviewed the draft study, titled "Energy, Economic, and Environmental Assessment of U.S. LNG Exports." The report’s findings were slated for release in 2023, months before President Biden announced the pause. The draft report modeled various scenarios, and the conclusion across all modeled scenarios was that increased U.S. LNG exports and natural gas production did not measurably change greenhouse gas emissions in either the U.S. or globally, and did not lead to significant increases in consumer energy prices.
These findings directly contradict claims made by Secretary Granholm and the Biden White House, who reportedly asserted that increased LNG exports would disproportionately raise prices for American consumers and harm the environment. One former official claimed that "both these claims were refuted in the report that the Biden administration hid from Congress and the American public."
After repeated requests, a copy of the report was finally shared with the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday morning. Committee members had been seeking the Energy Department’s findings on LNG since March 2024. A September 2024 court filing from the Government Accountability and Oversight (GAO) revealed the existence of the 2023 LNG study. However, the DOE reportedly declined to provide the study to the House Oversight Committee, ignoring their information requests.
House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., released a statement accusing the Biden Administration of abandoning scientific principles "to undermine American-made energy production, appease climate activists, and achieve their predetermined outcomes." Comer expressed gratitude to President Trump and Secretary Wright "for providing the transparency the American people deserve and for taking action to restore America’s energy dominance.”
The 2023 report is being touted as the most comprehensive data to date challenging the Biden administration’s rationale for the LNG export pause. The White House faced increasing pressure from progressive Democrats, including Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., to curtail LNG exports, particularly as U.S. exports reached unprecedented levels.
Fueled by increased demand in the European Union following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent cutoff of gas supplies, the U.S. became the world’s largest energy exporter in 2023. To address Europe’s energy security concerns, the U.S. significantly increased LNG exports to the continent, supplying more than 50% of their LNG, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Trump administration officials claim that rather than release the report, the Biden administration stalled and ignored requests from the House Oversight Committee for testimony and information. In December 2024, after the presidential election, the Biden administration released data suggesting that increased exports could raise consumer prices by as much as 30% in the coming years.
This later data sparked significant criticism from industry groups and Republicans, who deemed the figures exaggerated and insufficient to justify the administration’s 10-month pause on new LNG export terminals. Industry leaders characterized the Biden administration’s delayed report as "wrong-headed."
The controversy highlights the ongoing debate over the role of natural gas in the U.S. energy mix and the potential impacts of LNG exports on the environment and the economy. The Biden administration’s decision to pause new LNG export terminals has been praised by environmental groups who argue that it is a necessary step to combat climate change, while industry groups and Republicans contend that it will harm the economy and undermine U.S. energy security.
Fox News Digital has reached out to a Biden office spokesperson for comment but has not yet received a response. The allegations of suppressed research and political maneuvering adds another layer of complexity to this ongoing debate, raising questions about the transparency and scientific integrity of the decision-making process. The long-term consequences of the LNG export pause on the U.S. energy sector and global energy markets remain uncertain.
