Oil & Gas Workers Association v. Biden

A trade association representing workers in the U.S. oil and gas industry filed a lawsuit in the federal district court for the Western District of Louisiana challenging the Biden administration’s January 2024 decision to pause new approvals of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to non-free trade agreement countries. The plaintiff asserted that the decision violated the Natural Gas Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, separation of powers, and the foreign Commerce Clause. The complaint’s allegations included that the decision to pause the LNG exports was “politically motivated to garner support and voters in an election year,” and that the Biden administration had admitted that the decision “stems in part from international pressure to follow a global agenda opposed to fossil fuels” and that “addressing the concerns of young climate-focused voters was at least partially responsible” for the decision.