WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) released a statement following the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) new policy that will hinder Louisiana’s oil and gas industry and reduce approvals of U.S. natural gas infrastructure permits.
“Our nation depends on clear-minded, nonpartisan policy, not activists carrying out an ideological and political agenda. Yesterday, FERC said it will defy the Natural Gas Act by no longer considering only whether a project is “needed” when granting new natural gas permits. Rather, they will also consider environmental justice and climate impacts that will be determined behind closed doors,” said Dr. Cassidy.
“This FERC policy announcement all but guarantees no new natural gas construction permits will be issued this year and amounts to a defacto natural gas export ban. All the while, Europe is dependent on Russian natural gas and we are in the midst of a global energy crisis hurting Americans’ pocketbooks. The vacuum of energy production will be filled by foreign countries with lower environmental standards which will increase global emissions. This administration could not be writing worse energy policy,” Dr. Cassidy continued.
###