The American Petroleum Institute welcomed a permit for LNG exports from Oregon, though the Sierra Club said it came with too many environmental risks. The U.S. Energy Department gave its consent to the Jordan Cove Energy project in Coos Bay, Ore., to export domestically produced liquified natural gas to countries that don’t have a free-trade agreement with the United States. American Petroleum President Jack Gerard said the LNG decision gives foreign energy markets an added layer of energy security. “We urge the administration to continue making U.S. exports a priority,” he said in a statement . There are more than 20 applications pending for non-FTA exports of LNG. The federal government needs to weigh such projects against the public’s interest before giving its consent. Environmental groups are critical of LNG exports, saying it will lead to more hydraulic fracturing, the controversial drilling practice dubbed fracking. Nathan Matthews, an attorney […]