EXPORTING LNG GOOD FOR THE US, ITS ALLIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT: South Africa has offered to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States over 10 years as part of proposals to secure a trade deal, according to a ministerial statement posted on the South African government news agency website.
Countries buying more LNG from the U.S. is a triple win. Win for America: It’s a boost to the domestic economy and energy workers and their families. Win for our allies: Provides a stable source of affordable, low-cost energy. Win for the global environment: Replacing dirtier sources of energy like coal with LNG reduces emissions.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said South Africa would work with the U.S. to explore areas of cooperation in technologies, including fracking, to help unlock gas production there. The agreement calls for approximately 75 to 100 million cubic meters of LNG per year from the United States, the world’s largest LNG exporter.
The LNG imports would be augmented with U.S. investment in gas infrastructure, as Africa’s most advanced economy pivots toward natural gas and away from coal-fired power stations.
The Netherlands, France, and the UK have been the top recipients of U.S. LNG exports in Europe, while South Korea, Japan, China, and India are major importers in Asia. Germany also started importing U.S. LNG in late 2022 and has seen a significant increase in imports.
These exports create jobs, drive trade, and generate tax revenue. By replacing dirtier fuels like coal, they cut global emissions. And by reducing dependence on foreign energy, they fortify America’s strategic position.
U.S. LNG exports strengthen the economy, protect the environment, and bolster national security. South Africa, as well as all of our allies, would benefit from importing more.
ENERGY CHOICE MAKES CALIFORNIA ANGRY: Nowhere is the push against hydrocarbons greater than in the liberal state of California. They’ve been pushing electric vehicles on Americans for decades. Now, there is some long-awaited pushback, and, predictably, threats of litigation.
For decades, California has been able to adopt its own emissions regulations, effectively setting the bar for carmakers nationally. And for just as long, Republicans have resented the state’s outsize influence. This issue dates back to 1967 when, due to smog, California was granted an exemption. Essentially, the Environmental Protection Agency allowed the state to set its clean-air standards because it had the worst air pollution in the nation.
The Senate wisely, but narrowly, voted 51-44 to nullify California’s ability to set stricter tailpipe emissions standards. California officials vow to sue, calling the vote an attack on the state’s pollution efforts.
U.S. carmakers and auto dealers argued that keeping in place the waiver — which permits California to set stricter emissions rules than the federal government — could cripple the industry by forcing sales of cars the public doesn’t want in mass numbers.
Only 1.4% of Americans drive an EV, with more than one-third (36%) of all of those registered in the Golden State.
Some Congressional Republicans have had enough of “creating a superstate system where California has more rights than other states,” as Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Virginia) said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) called the waiver “an attempt by the Biden administration to impose an electric-vehicle mandate across this country.” Thune said it would have a devastating impact on the U.S. economy if not overturned.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia) summed it up: ” This is a win for American consumers and protects Congress’s constitutional and statutory oversight authority over federal agencies and unelected bureaucratic overreach.” Sen. Capito serves as chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
All states should be created equal, and all consumers should have a choice without government interference, i.e., picking winners and losers.
California exploited a niche EPA rule to mandate EVs, killing energy freedom and consumer choice in the process. Now that their overreach has been blocked, the state is playing the victim and threatening to sue.
SENATE HEARING ON NNSA BUDGET: On Wednesday, June 4, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development will have a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2026 for the National Nuclear Security Administration.
“Expanding our energy production with forms that are reliable, affordable, and SECURE is essential for reducing energy prices all over the country, including here in California, where Americans have suffered from poor energy policies and higher energy prices.”
— Energy Secretary Chris Wright, on X
The Empowerment Alliance (TEA) is a 501(c)(4) organization founded in 2019 that advocates for U.S. energy independence, according to EmpoweringAmerica.org. TEA supports using American innovation and free-market principles to ensure affordable, reliable, and clean energy.
