The U.S. methane gas industry, unlike the Russian military, has achieved nearly all of its pre-invasion objectives, The Guardian reports. Before Russian forces had even invaded Ukraine, a U.S. LNG trade association called on the White House to increase drilling on public lands, quickly approve gas export terminals, and pressure FERC to approve gas pipelines. Six months later, the LNG Allies, which operates as U.S. LNG Association and does not disclose its donors, has won major policy victories including a task force to increase gas exports to Europe, greenlighting LNG export terminals, and more — policy changes the industry says were in “direct response” to its requests. The U.S. oil and gas industry has pulled down record profits since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February. “The fact that just weeks after those demands were laid out, President Biden was turning industry wishes into policy is a damning indictment of a president who had promised to tackle the climate crisis,” Zorka Milin of Global Witness told the Guardian. (The Guardian)
