Since President Donald Trump took office in January, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) – two federal agencies responsible for permitting liquified natural gas projects – have issued a slew of regulatory approvals to export gas and expand capacity.  

Despite being the world’s largest exporter of the liquified natural gas (LNG), Trump issued an order to “unleash” American energy dominance and resume processing export permit applications for new LNG projects. Trump’s DOE has since authorized export permits and extensions for the Commonwealth LNG terminal in Cameron, Louisiana, the Golden Pass LNG terminal under construction in Sabine Pass, Texas, and the long-delayed Delfin LNG terminal in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of southwest Louisiana.

FERC approved two additional liquefaction units at the Corpus Christi LNG terminal in southeast Texas. The project, which was proposed in 2023, would increase the terminal’s processing capacity to over 28 million metric tons per year. FERC also approved a capacity expansion at the Plaquemines LNG terminal south of New Orleans, Louisiana. Plaquemines LNG is the newest LNG export terminal to begin operating in the U.S., having exported its first cargo in December.

Several companies have also announced expansions. Cheniere Energy, the company behind the Corpus Christi and Sabine Pass LNG terminals, said it plans to “aggressively pursue new regulatory permits to expand capacity now that U.S. President Donald Trump is in office,” with the goal of increasing annual production to 90 million metric tons at its two terminals along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast.

Venture Global, which owns the Calcasieu Pass and Plaquemines LNG terminals and is developing three more export projects in Louisiana, announced a massive expansion at the newly commissioned Plaquemines LNG. The project would increase the terminal's annual liquefaction capacity by more than 18 million metric tons, bringing its total processing capacity to 45.8 million metric tons per year, and making it one of the largest export terminals in the nation.

NextDecade, the company building the Rio Grande LNG terminal in Brownsville, Texas, announced a similar expansion. The project would increase capacity to 45 million metric tons per year with the construction of three new liquefaction units, and two more potentially on the way.

Together, these recently announced expansions would allow the U.S. to export an additional 60 million metric tons of LNG every year—enough energy to power more than 21,000 homes.

This growth could come with real costs for American consumers. A recent study published by the DOE under former President Biden found that unfretted LNG exports would result in a “triple-cost increase” for American households and businesses and increase domestic natural gas prices by over 30 percent.