Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach has joined a coalition of 16 states, led by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, in a lawsuit against President Joe Biden and the United States Department of Energy. The legal action challenges the administration's decision to ban new liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports.
"The Biden administration's decision to ban LNG exports is putting America last by catering to climate extremists. The national security interests of Americans should be the President's top concern," Kobach stated.
On January 26, President Biden and his Department of Energy halted all new approvals of LNG exports to non-Free-Trade Agreement countries effective immediately. This move is said to contradict the Natural Gas Act and diverges from longstanding agency policy. Notably, just six months prior, the Department of Energy had acknowledged that "There is no factual or legal basis" for halting LNG export approvals.
The coalition argues that Biden's decision will harm plaintiff states, local communities reliant on LNG-related investments, and the broader energy sector. They assert that this ban will disrupt natural gas development and production, necessitating judicial intervention to uphold the law.
Joining Kobach in this lawsuit are attorneys general from Louisiana, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.