US-Germany LNG Trade Fuels Environmental Concerns Amid Regulatory Delays

Venture Global's planned expansion of its LNG facility faces scrutiny over environmental violations and potential climate impacts.

Germany has significantly expanded its imports of liquified natural gas (LNG) from the US to compensate for lost Russian supplies following the invasion of Ukraine.
Virginia-based LNG giant, Venture Global, plans to build a new LNG export facility, CP2, which will triple the size of its current plant, the Calcasieu Pass, and make Venture Global Germany's largest LNG supplier.
Venture Global's current LNG facility has been hit with as many as 139 air pollution violations since it started operating in 2022, according to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.
US President Joe Biden's administration is reportedly set to delay a permit for Venture Global's CP2 facility by expanding a Department of Energy review to include more climate standards.
Republican lawmakers and fossil fuel industry associations have called for the Biden administration to expeditiously approve pending LNG export terminals, arguing they are key for strengthening the U.S. economy and supporting the energy security of allies in Europe and Asia amid geopolitical turmoil.