Aurelia S. Giacometto, Partner at Earth & Water Law, and Jason Isaac, Founder and CEO of the American Energy Institute, have expressed concerns over environmental activism in a joint op-ed. They argue that such activism is crossing into eco-terrorism and lawfare, calling for decisive judicial and law-enforcement action.
"Environmental activism is now crossing the line into eco-terrorism and lawfare," said S. Giacometto. "The US Federal Bureau of Investigation defines eco-terrorism as “the use or threatened use of violence of a criminal nature against innocent victims or their property by an environmentally oriented, subnational group for environmental-political reasons. If these organizations continue escalating their tactics, law enforcement and the courts must respond quickly and decisively."
A 2024 Congressional Research Service report indicates that U.S. energy infrastructure, particularly oil and gas assets, has increasingly been targeted by activist campaigns, sabotage, and legal challenges aimed at halting fossil fuel projects. The report warns that these disruptions, often termed "lawfare," could compromise national energy reliability and security by delaying or deterring essential infrastructure investments.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the United States produced an average of 113 billion cubic feet of dry natural gas per day in 2024. This production level is sufficient to power more than 70 million homes. Additionally, the nation emerged as the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), supplying nearly half of Europe’s LNG imports and bolstering energy security among U.S. allies reliant on stable fuel sources.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) reported that global LNG demand reached unprecedented levels in 2024, with the United States contributing approximately 48 percent of total LNG export growth. European imports from the U.S. compensated for reduced Russian gas supplies following geopolitical disruptions, aiding in price stabilization and ensuring energy continuity across European Union member states.
Giacometto previously served as the 22nd Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 2019 to 2021 and as Louisiana’s 14th Secretary of Environmental Quality. Isaac served four terms in the Texas House of Representatives where he focused on legislation related to energy resources, groundwater protection, and property rights.
