The Biden administration task force on liquefied natural gas (LNG) has been covertly developing a plan to wean Europe off Russian energy products by increasing supplies of LNG to the region by at least 15 billion cubic meters this year, Bloomberg reported on Monday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd May, 2022) The Biden administration task force on liquefied natural gas (LNG) has been covertly developing a plan to wean Europe off Russian energy products by increasing supplies of LNG to the region by at least 15 billion cubic meters this year, Bloomberg reported on Monday.
The task force started its work in late March after US President Joe Biden and European Commission President Ursula Von de Leyen charged it with a task to diversify Europe gas supplies in light of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, according to the report.
Environmental activists have accused the task force for lacking transparency and engaging representatives of large gas companies. In addition, the secret nature of the task force's activities violates federal advisory committee law, according to a letter the anti-corruption group Global Witness sent to Biden earlier on Monday.
The Biden administration does not believe the group's activity falls under the Federal Advisory Committee Act because formally only government officials from the European Union and the United States are on the task force, the report said.
The task force is being headed by former energy executive Amos Hochstein, who previously worked for the LNG company Tellurian Inc., and by the head of cabinet of the European Commission president Bjorn Siebert, the report added.
The group members have already met with LNG industry representatives, community advocates and the manufacturers of smart thermostats, heat pumps and other technologies that could possibly be deployed to help Europe reduce energy demand, according to the report.
On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk requested help to defend them fro attacks by Ukrainian forces. The United States and its allies responded by imposing comprehensive sanctions against Russia. The European Union has also announced its intention to reduce dependence on Russian energy supplies in the foreseeable future.
