U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum praised President Trump’s revocation of a Biden-era policy aimed at restoring fish populations in the Columbia River Basin. The move protects four hydroelectric dams on the Snake River, which the Trump administration says are vital for affordable and reliable American energy. The Columbia Basin produces nearly 44% of U.S. hydropower, and officials argue the Biden policy threatens energy for millions of homes. The U.S. Department of the Interior writes:
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, chair and vice-chair of the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC) respectively, joined Yukio Kani, global CEO and chairman of JERA Co., Inc. and representatives from several U.S. LNG producers to announce the finalization of four 20-year agreements between JERA and U.S. companies to purchase up to 5.5 million tons per year of American LNG. The agreements, which are projected to support more than 50,000 U.S. jobs and add more than $200 billion to U.S. GDP according to S&P Global analysis, underscore President Trump’s efforts to unleash American LNG production and the significant role the U.S. LNG industry plays in strengthening the U.S. economy and bolstering global energy security.
The agreements include sales and purchase agreements with NextDecade Corporation and Commonwealth LNG, and heads of agreements with Sempra Infrastructure and Cheniere Marketing LLC, to purchase LNG from America’s Gulf Coast. The announcement is yet another major milestone for President Trump’s commitment to increase investment in the U.S. and unleash American dominance.
“This investment is a message to the world that American LNG is back thanks to President Trump and we’re leading on the world stage,” said Secretary Burgum. “I am proud to join Secretary Wright and JERA CEO Yukio Kani to celebrate this commitment that will bring in almost a quarter trillion dollars to our nation’s economy and support over 50,000 American jobs for our country’s LNG industry. America is no longer begging for foreign energy – we’re producing it cleaner, smarter, better, and more reliably than the rest of the world.”
“Today’s announcement of investments in American energy that will unlock nearly a quarter trillion dollars in U.S. GDP is a massive milestone and a bold demonstration of President Trump’s leadership,” said Secretary Wright. “More than 50,000 jobs, tens of billions of dollars in new LNG export infrastructure, and a more secure energy future is just around the corner because we have a President who prioritizes our nation’s prosperity and energy security. This is another powerful example of the growth of the U.S. LNG export industry over the past decade which is a boon to our allies around the world who seek to expand trade with the U.S. while supporting their own energy security.”
“Today represents a true win-win and we want to thank President Trump for his leadership and commitment to unleash American energy – both of which were essential to completing these Agreements,” said Yukio Kani, Global CEO and Chairman of JERA Co., Inc. “They reflect a strong commercial partnership between the U.S. and Japan, strengthen Japan’s energy security and reaffirm the U.S.’s leading role in the global LNG market. We look forward to continuing our work with the President, Secretaries Burgum and Wright, and their teams, in partnership with the Government of Japan and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, on shared energy goals moving forward.”
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