VANCOUVER | UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (MUSQUEAM), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND səlilwətaɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES — As reported today in the New York Times, the Biden administration is pausing approval of “what would be the largest natural gas export terminal in the United States.” The White House has directed the Energy Department to “expand its evaluation of the project to consider its impact on climate change, as well as the economy and national security.”
Commenting on the decision, David Suzuki Foundation B.C. energy transition strategist John Young said:
“This is a monumental decision that sends a powerful message about liquefied natural gas in Canada and especially in British Columbia, where big oil and gas companies are lobbying hard for massive expansion of the LNG export industry.
“We’re at a pivotal moment for climate and energy issues in B.C. One path leads to a major LNG industry expansion, which would make it impossible for B.C. to meet its climate targets and would export emissions to destination markets — making the climate crisis worse. The other path leads to an accelerated embrace of the renewable energy transition and the clean economy of the future, leaving the sunsetting fossil fuel industry behind.
“As our peer-reviewed report Burning Bridge indicates, building more LNG projects in British Columbia would be a deeply flawed choice. LNG locks up investment, locks out renewables and locks in emissions.
“Today we call on B.C. Premier David Eby to follow President Biden’s wise and courageous leadership. The premier should turn away from LNG projects that the oil and gas industry is pushing because of their climate, economic and energy security impacts in Canada and around the world.”
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For more information or media interviews, please contact:
Theresa Beer: tbeer@davidsuzuki.org, 778-874-3396