LNG Boom Wrecks Havoc on Louisiana Fishing Community
The Louisiana town of Cameron is facing an environmental and economic crisis due to the construction of a massive liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant by Venture Global, a $36 billion company. The Calcasieu Pass 1 facility is fully operational, and construction has begun on its even larger counterpart, CP2.
The influx of temporary workers for the project has led to a housing shortage in Cameron, with many RV parks filled to capacity. Local fishermen like Brian DeBarge and Anthony 'Tad' Theriot have seen their livelihoods threatened by the plant's operations, which they claim are causing pollution and disrupting the marine ecosystem.
Theriot says that the shrimp-rich estuaries of coastal Louisiana have been devastated by the LNG boom, leading to financial ruin for many shrimpers. He claims that the industry has been left out of conversations about the future of the coastline, with their advice ignored in favor of more lucrative interests.
'We know the estuary better than anyone,' Theriot says. 'You have no idea what the moon does to the water. You don't know what the tides are going to do … but that's how we work.'