New Gas Export Rules Put Climate and Communities First: Exports Must Now Pass Stricter Tests

The LNG Public Interest Determination Act of 2025 flips the script on how the U.S. approves natural gas exports. Instead of rubber-stamping, the bill, introduced as an amendment to the Natural Gas Act, forces the Secretary of Energy to take a hard look at whether sending natural gas overseas is actually good for Americans and the planet. The Secretary of Energy must deny export permits if they are likely to significantly worsen climate change, substantially increase energy prices, or unfairly burden vulnerable communities. (SEC. 2)

Drilling Down: What's Changing?

This bill isn't just about adding paperwork. It's about making sure that decisions on natural gas exports line up with the realities of climate change and the needs of everyday people. Here's the core of it: Before any natural gas can be shipped abroad, the Secretary of Energy has to prove it won't screw things up for the climate, your wallet, or communities already dealing with pollution. The bill mandates a one-year deadline for the Secretary of Energy to decide on export applications, beginning after the final environmental impact statement or other required assessment is completed. (SEC. 2)

Real-World Checks and Balances

To make sure these aren't just empty promises, the bill requires three specific assessments:

• Climate Change Assessment: This isn't your grandpa's climate check. It uses the latest science and focuses on the 20-year impact of methane (a super-potent greenhouse gas). It also looks at how gas exports stack up against cleaner energy options and quantifies the real-world costs of those emissions, including economic damage here in the U.S. (SEC. 2)
• Economic Assessment: This one's about your bank account. It looks at how exports will hit the wallets of everyone from low-income families and small businesses to manufacturers and farmers. (SEC. 2)
• Environmental Justice Assessment: This focuses on communities that have historically gotten the short end of the stick. It looks at impacts on local fisheries, racial and economic disparities, and whether projects comply with civil rights laws. (SEC. 2)

Power to the People (and the Planet)

This bill also puts more power in the hands of the public. It demands real participation, especially from communities that have been overlooked in the past, by addressing barriers such as disability, language access, and lack of resources. Plus, it ends the automatic exemption that let some gas export projects skip environmental reviews. From now on, these are considered "major Federal actions," meaning they need a full environmental impact statement. (SEC. 2 & SEC. 4). Finally, The Secretary of Energy is directed to create regulations to implement the provisions of the bill within one year of the law's enactment (SEC. 5).

The Big Picture

This bill is a potential game-changer. It connects the dots between energy policy, climate goals, and the well-being of communities. It challenges the idea that what's good for the gas industry is automatically good for America. While it could mean a slowdown in new export approvals, the long-term aim is to push for cleaner energy and a fairer deal for those most affected by pollution and rising energy costs. The open question is whether the required assessments can be truly objective, or if they'll become another political football. The definition of 'public interest' itself could be a loophole, and industry pressure on the Secretary of Energy is almost guaranteed.