(Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Col. Rob Maness, U.S. Air Force, Retired)

In light of the Biden administration’s announcement to pause new LNG permits for infrastructure projects, Americans here at home and our allies overseas are rightfully concerned about the far-reaching effects. The U.S. energy sector has historically played an important role in countering the volatility of global energy markets and advancing America’s geopolitical and security interests abroad. Unfortunately, we cannot keep global energy markets stable and uphold our promise to European allies if we stop exporting US LNG. 

By stepping up to provide critical fuels such as natural gas, the United States has met the energy needs of our allies, allowing them to decouple from Russia and feel the consequences for its aggressive actions in Ukraine. Louisiana’s energy industry, in particular, has played a critical role in supporting this effort, empowering the U.S. to levy a new round of sanctions on facilities such as Russia’s Arctic LNG 2, while negating the corresponding limits to global energy supplies that such actions usually cause.

In order to support the growing demand for natural gas and keep our allies supplied with reliable and affordable energy, new liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects cannot be paused. With the White House’s decision, the Biden administration has jeopardized national and global energy security and now, more than ever, we must urge the administration to reverse course.

Notably, findings in a recent national poll found two-thirds of Independents support expanding natural gas exports to create energy-sector jobs. It’s unclear why President Biden would abandon this group of voters as well as moderate Democrats and decide to take up a far more radical agenda. 

Focusing on building out key infrastructure projects will protect our national security interests. Last year the United States became the top global exporter of LNG, with the European Union and United Kingdom receiving the most. But more will be needed to continue to meet demand. Expanding such capabilities would also create local jobs and grow the economy here in Louisiana, which in 2022 accounted for nearly two-thirds of our nation’s LNG exports, and is sure to play a key role as the U.S. looks to increase those shipments over the coming years.

 Venture Global’s Calcasieu Pass 2 (CP2), a proposed LNG export facility in Cameron Parish capable of exporting twenty million tons per year (MTPA), will be critical to supplying our allies in Europe and Asia with the energy they need. Instead of fighting LNG projects like CP2, they should be welcomed as a boon for local economies. The maintenance and operations of CP2 will create thousands of jobs for Louisianans and generate millions of dollars in tax revenue, while the construction of the corresponding CP Express Pipeline will support local jobs and inject billions of dollars of direct investment in the community. Such windfalls are invested back into local needs like schools, law enforcement, health care, and infrastructure.

Out-of-state activists and TikTok influencers may not fully understand the positive impact the LNG industry has in the state, but Louisianans do. LNG export facilities have been instrumental in strengthening our energy security while also providing significant economic benefits here at home. The White House should reconsider their misguided decision and allow LNG export projects to move forward. This will enable Gulf Coast communities to meet their full potential and allow the United States to fulfill our commitments overseas, supplying our allies with reliable and affordable energy.

 Col. Rob Maness (U.S. Air Force, Retired) is the former wing commander of Kirtland Air Force Base.