Published: December 18, 2024 |

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U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President of Policy Marty Durbin issued the following statement regarding the Biden Administration’s report on LNG exports and a new Chamber-supported S&P Global study that provides a comprehensive analysis of the benefits of LNG.

“LNG exports are not only in America’s national interest, but also in the world’s interest, including our European allies seeking to break free from dependence on Russian gas. From the beginning, the White House moratorium on new LNG export facilities was a politically-driven exercise with harmful impacts on the U.S. economy and the energy security of America’s allies. It should end immediately.

“We will thoroughly review the DOE report, but it appears to rely on questionable methodology and puts a thumb on the scale to downplay the clear economic, environmental, and security benefits of U.S. LNG. This contradicts many other analyses that detail the benefits of LNG exports — including phase 1 of the Chamber-supported study released by S&P Global.

“The S&P Global study provides a comprehensive and objective analysis of the economic, market, and global impact of U.S. liquified natural gas (LNG) exports and details the breadth and magnitude of the U.S. LNG sector and its positive impact on energy markets in the U.S. and around the world.

“The research conducted by S&P Global’s team of world class experts stands in stark contrast to the DOE report. It projects that LNG will add $1.3 trillion to the U.S. economy through 2040, creating nearly 500,000 new jobs and contributing $166 billion in tax revenues, all while America’s energy producers help keep our manufacturing sector competitive with some of the lowest natural gas input prices in the world. The results further illustrate the economic, environmental, and geopolitical harm of blocking new LNG exports, which, if continued, would see LNG replaced overwhelmingly by fossil fuel resources from other countries.

“The Chamber looks forward to working with both outgoing and incoming Department of Energy officials to ensure S&P Global’s analysis is integrated into project reviews and ongoing public interest analyses.”

KEY FINDINGS OF S&P GLOBAL LNG IMPACT STUDY

LNG Export Benefits to Date:
• +$40 billion in GDP
• 273,000 jobs
• +$54 billion in federal and state tax revenue
• U.S. LNG industry exports are greater than corn and soybean exports, 2X U.S. movie and TV exports, and
  nearly half of U.S. semiconductor exports
• 2023 U.S. LNG export value of $34 billion improves the balance of trade and is equivalent to 16 percent of the
  America’s trade deficit with the EU

Projected Additional Benefits Through 2040:
• +$1.3 trillion in GDP
• +495,000 jobs
• +$166 billion in federal and state tax revenue
• +1.1 million barrels per day of natural gas liquids (NGL) production — a key feedstock supporting domestic U.S.
  manufacturing and competitiveness

Benefits at Risk if Pending Projects are Blocked:
• -$251 billion in GDP
• -102,000 jobs
• -$33 billion in federal and state tax revenue

Global Impacts of Blocking LNG Exports:
• 85 percent of lost U.S. LNG supply would be replaced by foreign fossil fuels
• Europe and Asia delay coal plant retirements and fuel switch to coal and oil
• Global gas demand steadily grows through 2040, leading to a need for 100 million metric tons of new LNG
  export capacity.
• Without additional growth from the U.S. existing LNG projects in Qatar, Canada, and Mozambique are
  accelerated and new LNG projects in Argentina, Indonesia, Oman, and Russia are built

Thanks to abundant low-cost supply, natural gas production has grown at three times the rate of LNG exports since 2010. As a result, natural gas prices have trended lower even as the U.S. became the world’s leading LNG exporter. Prices for U.S. families and businesses are now among the lowest in the world.

The U.S. has an enormous supply of affordable and accessible natural gas resources, estimated at ~1,300 trillion cubic feet (tcf) gas resources with break-evens below $4 per million btu — an amount equivalent to 35 years of demand at current levels. Continued export growth will have a negligible impact on U.S. residential natural gas prices (less than 1 percent).

The DOE’s study— 2024 LNG Export Study: Energy, Economic, and Environmental Assessment of U.S. LNG Exports — can be found HERE.

The Chamber of Commerce of the United States is the world’s largest business organization. Its members range from the small businesses and chambers of commerce across the country that support their communities, to the leading industry associations and global corporations that innovate and solve for the world’s challenges, to the emerging and fast-growing industries that are shaping the future.  Since its founding, the U.S. Chamber has advocated for policies that help businesses create jobs and grow the economy. Building on a strong legacy of trust and track record of success, they help today’s businesses start, grow, and thrive in a complex and constantly changing macro environment. They inform members with timely policy analysis and legal advice, connect them with leaders in business and government through world-class events and intimate gatherings, and equip them with tools and resources to help them succeed. Above all, they serve as their ally and champion on Capitol Hill, in the courts, in the state houses, and in markets around the world.

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