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By Rewriting LNG Rules, Trump Could Further Endanger the Health and Safety of Americans
People who live with liquefied “natural” gas (LNG) plants and pipelines in their communities face significant risks to their health and safety every day. There are hundreds of LNG facilities operating in the U.S. that process and transport the highly flammable gas. If a leak occurs and the gas finds an ignition source, it can cause massive explosions or fires right next to schools, playgrounds, neighborhoods, roads, and beaches.
Right now, the Trump administration is preparing to update 45-year-old safety rules for LNG. While the updated rules could result in better protections for communities, the government has indicated that they intend to weaken the rules in order to make it easier to build more LNG—just to make oil and gas billionaires more money.
The government has an obligation to protect communities from dangerous fossil fuel infrastructure. Communities living next to LNG and their allies can use the public comment period on this rulemaking to make that abundantly clear.
Freeport LNG, the second largest LNG facility in the county, is located in Freeport, Texas near residential areas, outdoor recreation, and playgrounds. Photo by Earthworks.
What is LNG?
LNG is the term the oil and gas industry uses to describe methane gas that is made so cold that it turns into a liquid and is loaded onto ships for export to other nations. The U.S. produces more methane gas than it needs, so companies liquify the gas because it is easier to transport, and sell the extra gas to other countries to make a profit.
Though marketed as “cleaner,” LNG is a highly polluting fossil fuel. Methane pollution from LNG pipelines and plants accelerate the climate crisis—and thus more heatwaves, hurricanes, and wildfire smoke. Shipping LNG overseas also means more drilling, pipelines, and pollution at home. It slows down the switch to clean energy, like wind and solar, both at home. and abroad.
Frontline communities are leading the push against LNG infrastructure due to the adverse impacts LNG facilities impose on their families and communities. LNG infrastructure emits toxic air and water pollution that are known to cause serious health impacts including nosebleeds, asthma, and higher rates of cancer. These communities are also at greater risk to explosions, earthquakes, bursting pipes, and other safety hazards these facilities bring. These same communities are also the hardest hit by the climate crisis, which is driven by the emissions from the production and use of LNG.
The United States has become the world’s largest exporter of LNG, at the expense of communities and the climate. Source: Energy Information Administration.
Why do LNG rules need to be updated?
The rules that provide guidance on how methane gas pipelines are built and maintained were last updated in the 1980s—more than 20 years before the U.S. started exporting LNG. Since then, the U.S. has become the world’s largest exporter of LNG.
According to the current rules, the federal agency tasked with enforcing these rules (known as the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, or “PHMSA”) and gas companies can keep important safety information secret, like how big an explosion could be or what risks they’ve found when building LNG pipelines. They say it’s for national security or to protect business secrets. But people need access to this information to protect their families. There are nearly 3 million miles of gas pipelines across the U.S., so safety rules must be strong, clear, and fair. Too many lives have already been lost in pipeline accidents, and too many communities are still in danger.
In addition, the current standards fail to address the impacts of leaks from methane gas pipelines, which are estimated at 1.2 to 2.6 million tons per year. Furthermore, the current rules don’t require many leaks to be repaired, and lack clear rules on using technology to prevent or reduce leaks.
An optical gas imaging (OGI) investigation by Earthworks captures pollution at Venture Global’s Calcasieu Pass LNG site in coastal southwest Louisiana.
What could happen if the rules are weakened?
PHMSA has been working on more modern guidance for years. However, the Trump administration announced that the rewrite will be focused on “cost savings for the industry.” While the existing guidelines desperately need an update, this approach could give billionaire oil and gas executives a free pass to maximize profits and build dangerous pipelines at the expense of public safety, health, and security.
If the government allows Big Oil and Gas executives to get their way, workers, the environment, and residents near LNG would be even more at risk while oil and gas companies would get minor boosts to their already record-breaking profits.
LNG pipelines could be less safe from the start—designed with materials that are cheaper, not as strong or durable, or have greater leakage and leak more often.
Pipelines could be constructed by crews with less experience and fewer or no required formal certifications.
Pipelines may not have to be monitored for leaks and could keep operating even when there is a high risk of an accident.
Local emergency response and fire crews won’t be trained at all or as well, or have clear response plans in the case of an emergency or explosion.
Communities that are harmed or families of people that are killed will have fewer options or access to seek justice.
There are nearly 3 million miles of gas pipelines across the U.S., so safety rules must be strong, clear, and fair.
What feedback does PHMSA need to make the rules better?
PHMSA should focus on protecting communities near pipelines and gas infrastructure—not industry—by seeking input on:
Improving public engagement and transparency during pipeline incidents.
Reducing pollution and leakage from pipeline infrastructure.
Avoiding locating new gas pipeline infrastructure near existing sources of pollution.
Strong, specific and consistent standards for methane leakage reduction.
Benefits of including requirements that pipeline companies use effective equipment to find leaks and fix them promptly.
Economic costs to communities due to pipeline leakage, ruptures, explosion and other failures.
How can people provide input on the new rule?
There will be several opportunities for communities and their allies to ensure the government prioritizes safety for the people living near the 3 million miles of methane gas pipelines that already exist—and any future infrastructure.
Right now, you can share your personal experiences and opinions on LNG by submitting a public comment to PHMSA until July 7. PHMSA will take these comments into account when writing a proposed version of new safety rules.
The Trump administration is making it clear that this new rule is about deregulation—not safety. PHMSA was created to make it safer to move materials that are known to be dangerous miles across the country. Centering the rules that PHMSA will create on industry wishes puts people and the environment around LNG pipelines at risk. We have to get this right to ensure no worker and no community is put at risk when basic, common-sense rules can keep them safe.
With your input, we can demand strong safety standards that prioritize community input, worker safety, and transparency of the risks associated with living near LNG export infrastructure.
