In a split decision handed down today, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a Presidential Permit and granted authorization to allow Oklahoma-based Oneok Inc. to build the Saguaro natural gas export Pipeline. FERC’s order exposes Americans to higher domestic energy prices, will increase greenhouse gas emissions and financially benefit China by exporting fracked natural gas from the Texas Permian basin to planned LNG export terminals on Mexico’s Pacific coast to supply the Chinese economy Public Citizen is a legal intervenor in the proceeding and will request rehearing of today’s flawed order.
In December, Public Citizen called on the U.S. Department of State to explain why it granted a “favorable recommendation” for this same pipeline without requiring an analysis of the impacts it will have on exacerbating climate change. The State Department’s approval came after the Bureau of Energy Resources ignored a request just two weeks earlier by the State Department’s Office of Global Change for a comprehensive emissions review.
Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program, issued the following statement:
“The Commission’s decision ignores the harm record methane gas exports have on raising Americans’ energy bills and exacerbating climate change, all to prioritize feeding more gas to China. The Saguaro export pipeline’s only purpose is to bypass the log-jammed Panama Canal to send U.S. produced gas to planned LNG export terminals on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Public Citizen, as a legal intervenor in the FERC proceeding, will ask for rehearing of today’s flawed FERC order.”
Further Reading on Public Citizen’s Work on the Saguaro pipeline:
- January 2023: Public Citizen’s Protest of Oneok’s Proposed Natural Gas Export Pipeline
- February 2023: Fact Sheet: Three LNG export terminals planned for Mexico’s Sea of Cortez
- December 2023: Biden’s State Department Fossil Fuel Surrender In Endorsement of Methane Export Pipeline
- December 2023: State Dept letter in response to Public Citizen’s request
This post was originally published on Common Dreams.