Manning Rollerson Jr. III, an environmental justice advocate from Freeport, Texas, warned Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba against increasing U.S. LNG imports during his upcoming meeting with President Donald Trump. Rollerson advised Ishiba: “If you make a deal with the devil, the devil will bite you.”
Ishiba is expected to pledge an increase in U.S. LNG imports, as reported by Japanese and U.S. media. Rollerson and other U.S. environmental advocates recently visited Japan to persuade leaders and banking executives to halt LNG imports and financing.
Addressing the National Diet in Tokyo, Rollerson said, “It’s not worth it. Just like it affects the American people, it will affect the Japanese people.” Rollerson, founder of the Freeport Haven Project, attributes numerous cancer deaths in his community to pollution from oil refineries and a large LNG terminal in Freeport.
Freeport, part of the Houston region, is classified as a serious nonattainment area for ground-level ozone pollution. A U.S. Department of Energy report indicates that LNG facilities release pollutants harmful to health, disproportionately affecting poor and minority communities.
According to a Texas Southern University report, air pollution near Freeport LNG presents significant cancer and respiratory risks, with the area having higher poverty and minority populations. An explosion at the terminal in June 2022 injured individuals and halted plant operations for eight months.
A spokesperson for the American Petroleum Institute stated, “The benefits of U.S. LNG for stabilizing global energy markets and supporting American jobs are proven.” However, Sharon Wilson of Oilfield Witness, using specialized imaging to detect methane emissions, argued that LNG is not clean energy.
Recent studies, such as one in the journal Nature, show methane emissions are three times higher than official estimates. Another study by Cornell’s Robert Howarth, published in September, indicates LNG’s greenhouse gas footprint exceeds that of coal over 20 years. The Energy Department report highlights global emissions may rise with increased U.S. LNG exports.
Japan’s Role in U.S. LNG Funding
Susanne Wong of Oil Change International notes Japan’s major influence in financing new LNG projects, having provided $39.7 billion since 2012. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation invested over $2 billion in Freeport LNG’s initial construction. JERA acquired a 25.7% stake in Freeport LNG in 2022, according to the company.
Wilson hopes Japanese leaders will cease funding LNG projects and move away from fossil fuels. Rollerson invited Japan’s parliament to Freeport to witness LNG’s environmental impact, urging them to consider the human implications.
Original Story at insideclimatenews.org