The Trump Administration’s Department of Energy has given the initial green light for exports to a liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal in Southwest Louisiana.

On Feb. 14, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced the department had authorized Commonwealth LNG to export LNG to countries beyond those with which the U.S. has a free trade agreement.

The department’s order notes that the approval is conditional and that it will issue a final authorization after the end of the public comment period on a study of LNG exports released last December under the Biden Administration. That study found that natural gas exports are drive up household energy costs and planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. The department is accepting public comments on the study until March 20.

The approval is the first for an LNG terminal based in the U.S. since the Biden Administration in January 2024 paused LNG exports approvals to countries without a U.S. free trade agreement. The Biden Administration gave an export license last September to an LNG terminal in Mexico set to export U.S. gas after a federal judge lifted Biden’s pause last July.

Commonwealth LNG, located in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, could export up to 9.5 million metric tons of LNG per year. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Feb. 14 issued a supplemental environmental impact statement on Commonwealth LNG and an associated pipeline after a federal court ruled FERC had not adequately addressed the project’s emissions of greenhouse gases and nitrogen dioxide. FERC is accepting comments on the document until 5 p.m. Eastern on April 7.

On Feb. 11, Commonwealth LNG’s developers applied for up to 10 years’ worth of public subsidies under Louisiana’s Quality Jobs program.