Environmental concerns grow over the impact of liquefied natural gas as the US is the world’s leading supplier

The United States is now the world’s leading exporter of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, after the country tripled its production in the past six years, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Environmentalists say this is defeating the Biden administration’s goals to wean the U.S. off fossil fuels to avoid future climate change-induced catastrophes.

LNG is natural gas that is cooled into a liquid so that it can be loaded onto tankers and shipped overseas. Natural gas, while considered cleaner than coal, produces carbon dioxide and methane emissions that are rapidly warming the planet.

John Allaire’s property in Louisiana is just one mile from a liquefied natural gas export terminal called Calcasieu Pass.

Allaire is a former oil industry engineer and is documenting what is known as a “sheet” – when the plant burns off excess gas. He is not only concerned about breathing potentially toxic air, but also about America’s natural resources being shipped to Europe and Asia.

“It doesn’t make sense,” he said. “It’s about let’s make money, you know make as much money as we can.”

He said he would feel differently if he stayed home.

The plant near Allaire is owned by Venture Global. She declined CBS News’ request for an interview, but said in a statement that she has made “dramatic progress in minimizing flaring” and that “the world needs more energy, especially natural gas.”

It is one of eight LNG export terminals in the US. Seven more are under construction. US capacity has more than tripled since 2018 and is expected to double again by 2030, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

The unprecedented boom worries climate activists who call the new LNG plants “carbon bombs”.

CBS News spoke with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granhom earlier this year after the White House stopped short of approving any new LNG exports. She said the administration is looking at environmental impacts, rising domestic prices for natural gas and America’s energy security.

“Are we just going to keep authorizing and authorizing? Or should we be beating back and saying ‘What is all this doing?’ Granhom said before.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill is one of 16 state attorneys general suing the Biden administration over the pause. She thinks President Biden is trying to appeal to climate voters, saying there is no legal basis for the pause. She added that she is not concerned about possible climate impacts.

“Because that’s not my job. My job is to hold them accountable under the law,” she said.

Allair is also fighting another LNG plant that would be built near his property. He said companies making billions selling gas overseas need to think about more than just money.

“We have to preserve our natural resources for us,” he said.