Federal Appeals Court Upholds Approval of Louisiana LNG Project

A federal appeals court has upheld the approval of a major liquid natural gas project in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit rejected a consolidated lawsuit brought by environmental groups and local commercial fishermen against the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) approval of the Venture Global Calcasieu Pass 2 LNG terminal and CP Express pipeline.

The plaintiffs argued that FERC didn't sufficiently account for the impact the facility would have on the local environment and the commercial seafood industry. However, the court ruled that FERC acted lawfully in approving the project, agreeing with its assessment that the project 'would have a moderate, but not significant impact on commercial fishing.'

The CP2 LNG terminal has the capacity to export up to 28 million metric tons of LNG per year and is expected to begin shipping LNG in the second half of 2027. The project's approval is a blow for environmental groups and local communities who have been fighting against it, but they vow to continue their fight.