Central ND News

WASHINGTON – Congressman Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) expressed his concerns about the Biden administration's decision to ban future permits for LNG facilities during a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing. Armstrong emphasized how this ban will negatively impact the economy and national security of the United States.

In his remarks, Armstrong criticized the concept of "environmental justice," stating that it is merely a buzzword used by some to push their own agenda. He argued that true environmental justice is lacking when considering the conditions of workers in Cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or the Uyghur community involved in building solar panels.

Armstrong also raised concerns about the impact of the ban on communities in North Dakota that rely on lignite energy production. He highlighted the advanced carbon capture technology being developed in the state and questioned the environmental justice in situations where the heat goes off during extreme cold weather due to the reliance on intermittent power.

Turning to the Biden administration's decision to temporarily pause pending decisions to export Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), Armstrong warned of the consequences for domestic LNG production and the reliance of European allies on American natural gas. He expressed his worries that the pause and the criteria being used to evaluate LNG export authorizations will discourage investment and push other countries to seek gas from less friendly sources.

Armstrong also raised questions about the involvement of a 25-year-old social media influencer, Alex Harris, in influencing such significant national security and economic decisions. He questioned Harris's qualifications and expressed his concerns about the influence of non-experts in shaping important policies.

The congressman emphasized that the evaluation criteria for LNG export authorizations should not be subject to political whims but should follow the established processes that have been carefully crafted by Congress.

Overall, Armstrong's remarks focused on the potential negative impact of the Biden administration's LNG export ban on the economy, national security, and the reliability of energy supply. He expressed concerns about the lack of environmental justice in certain aspects of the energy industry and questioned the involvement of non-experts in shaping important policies.