Congratulations activists. All proposed Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals on the US west coast have for now been defeated and cancelled! This achievement is worthy of celebration, and is a tribute to those US citizens who have moved beyond apathy and despair over climate change, and have embraced focused and ongoing efforts toward a sustainable future. The last west coast proposal for an LNG export facility, the Jordan Cove project in Coos Bay, Oregon, was cancelled in late 2021.
But, did that stop fossil fuel companies? While efforts in the US definitely delayed gas exports, producers have been looking to Mexico as their next opportunity to continue supplying the globe with this climate damaging fuel. The primary component of natural gas is methane. When released into the atmosphere in the next 20 critical years, methane’s impact will be is 80x greater than CO2 at trapping heat. Extraction, transport and use of this fuel must end very soon, in order to limit the ongoing damage to our planet.
However, US fossil fuel producers are partnering with Mexico’s state-owned producers to build out export facilities on both the east and west coasts of Mexico. At least six LNG export projects are underway in Mexico. One is under construction by US based New Fortress Energy in Tamaulipas State on the Gulf coast. The state shares a border with Texas that provides a route for natural gas pipelines. The second facility under construction is a partnership between Sempra, a North American public utility holding company based in San Diego, and Total Energies, a French multinational energy company. Their location in Baja California, which shares a border with California, is an existing LNG storage facility that is adding liquefaction capabilities for exports.
Natural gas pipelines to Mexico already exist. Mexico imports 70% of the natural gas it consumes. Almost all of those imports are from the US. Increased LNG exports will raise prices for both US and Mexican consumers, and generate increased gas production to meet internal as well as global demands. The recent “pause” on LNG exports that was initiated by the Biden administration has delayed the start-up of new LNG terminals in Mexico. Your vote to retain and expand pro-climate representation in this year’s elections is critical to ending the export of damaging fossil fuels.
VOTE for Climate Action!
Sources:
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/liquefied-natural-gas/mexico-begins-its-own-lng-buildout-as-us-developers-look-to-the-south
https://www.bloomberglinea.com/english/mexicos-pemex-cfe-look-to-export-lng-despite-country-being-a-net-gas-importer/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/26/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-temporary-pause-on-pending-approvals-of-liquefied-natural-gas-exports/
