DOE Denies Sierra Club’s Rehearing and Stay Request re Sabine Pass LNG Export Authorization
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued an order denying Sierra Club’s request for rehearing and stay of DOE’s Final Opinion and Order, which granted Sabine Pass Liquefaction LLC’s application to export LNG from the Sabine Pass LNG terminal to countries without a Free Trade Agreement with the United States. DOE reaffirmed its denial of Sierra Club’s motion for late intervention in the case and, since Sierra Club was thus not a party, DOE ruled that Sierra Club lacked standing to request rehearing and stay of the Final Opinion and Order. In the order, DOE found that granting Sierra Club’s late intervention would unduly prejudice the applicant and “have a chilling effect on the financing of construction as well as the construction activities themselves – all at the predictable expense of the applicant.” Documents from this case can be found on DOE’s website.