US energy independence is under threat from a court ruling
Two new energy enterprises in the Port of Brownsville were on the cusp of ushering in a new era of business and industry for the region. Together, they would bring in billions of dollars in investment, provide major infrastructure improvements, and create thousands of jobs.
And they would lead to a domino effect of benefits for the community, such as the $30 million Texas A&M training facility that broke ground at the port this year.
This is not governmental cooperation through agency and legal means. It’s obstructionist.
Both projects received the green light in the federal permitting process, and one had even begun construction.
But then everything came to a screeching halt at the whim of a court in Washington, D.C.
For the sake of the people of South Texas, this unprecedented move — tossing out preapproved permits, including one for a facility that is already under construction — needs to be challenged.
The Rio Grande LNG terminal, projected to be one of the world's largest liquified natural gas export projects, would cost an estimated $18 billion. It is expected to generate 5,000 construction jobs, over 400 permanent positions, and potentially another 3,000 indirect jobs in the local community.
Meanwhile, Texas LNG was finalizing its investment plans to start construction. This project, too, was set to invest billions and create thousands of jobs throughout its construction phase.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission had approved permits for both projects. The companies went above and beyond to comply with environmental regulations, even incorporating a carbon capture and storage facility to reduce emissions. Ironically, the court cited these environmental efforts as the reason to revoke their permits. In response, both projects have now abandoned their carbon capture efforts to comply with the court’s demands.
As Charles McConnell, a former official in the Environmental Protection Agency under the Obama administration, wrote, “This is not governmental cooperation through agency and legal means. It’s obstructionist.”
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has urged FERC to appeal a court decision that halted the construction of two major liquefied natural gas terminals. Cruz’s letter to the FERC chairman stressed the need for regulatory clarity to ensure that legal disruptions do not discourage investors from backing future projects that could position America as the world’s leading energy producer.
“If project developers come to believe that federal permits can be overturned due to procedural missteps by the regulator, apart from any actions or fault by the developers, U.S. infrastructure projects will slow and stall,” Cruz wrote.
But for the people of South Texas, this outlandish reversal is a lot more personal. We need more industry and business to help our region flourish. The projects were expanding business access to South Texas significantly. Rio Grande LNG was already in the process of making the channel another 10 feet deeper to make the Port of Brownsville accessible to more ships. With the federal court ruling, all that progress will come to an end — and with it, a golden opportunity to turn South Texas into a hub of prosperity.
It’s easy to get lost in the legal jargon of the permitting process and lawsuits. But what FERC and the courts do has real-world implications for everyone in South Texas. More industry leads to more jobs, and more jobs lead to more opportunities, which in turn would create more opportunities for South Texans to escape poverty.
The new LNG developments could set the region up for success in decades to come — but not if bureaucratic obstructionists continue to stand in the way.
A White House directive mandates recipients of federal funds erect 'campaign signs' declaring their projects are funded by Biden's laws.
Engineering priorities have become secondary to other interests, which is why we cannot have nice things quickly at a reasonable cost.
It may look like the whole country is falling apart, but remember these incidents are not representative of your immediate community.
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Famous investigative journalist reveals what multiple intel sources told her about the Baltimore bridge collapse: 'A brilliant strategic attack'
Lara Logan is a well-known name in investigative journalism. She used to be the chief foreign affairs correspondent for CBS News, and she covered some of the biggest stories in the world.
However, when Logan began honestly looking into what liberals notoriously call right-wing hysteria, such as COVID vaccine skepticism, 2020 election fraud, and Jan. 6 alternative narratives, she was essentially condemned as “a star of far-right media,” according to the New York Times.
Pat Gray, however, is a huge fan of Logan’s brutally honest work — which is what all journalism should be.
“We've been following your work for a really long time and appreciate everything you do,” he tells her.
Logan’s most recent reports revolve around the tragic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, Maryland.
On March 26, the day the bridge was struck, Logan took to X to expose what she says is clearly a “‘strategic attack’ on US critical infrastructure — most likely cyber.”
“As soon as it came down, the authorities were claiming there was no evidence of any kind of wrongdoing,” says Pat.
“Yes, which was odd because they hadn't had time to investigate, so for the authorities to make a definitive statement about anything was unusual, especially when you look at the nature of what happened,” says Logan.
After talking to many people, including some who “had worked in Baltimore for 30 years,” some who “worked in maritime attacks,” and others who “are still on active duty in the intelligence community,” Lara came away with a narrative about the bridge collapse that didn’t at all match the official statement given by authorities.
“One person in particular knew instantly that from the very first moment that he saw that ship, it wasn't inside the channel, which is where it has to be when it's on course,” she explains.
Further, “Multiple intelligence professionals” told Lara that they “knew the moment they saw it” that the collision “was a technique ... because [they] carry out this technique on foreign battlefields.”
“It's called 'spoofing,'” they told her, and “by the time [the ship crew] is throwing off the anchor or doing whatever [they] can to try and correct [the GPS attack], it's simply too late.”
To learn about how “spoofing” works and the likely reasons behind this alleged orchestrated attack, watch the clip below.
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