Commercial Fishermen and Landowners Ask D.C. Circuit to Halt CP2 LNG Project 

WASHINGTON – Today, the Southern Environmental Law Center, on behalf of impacted commercial fishermen, landowners, Fishermen Involved in Sustaining Our Heritage, and For a Better Bayou, and in partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council and Sierra Club, filed a motion asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to stay the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) authorization of a massive gas export project called CP2. A stay would stop the developer from starting construction of the project and causing irreversible damage to the already overburdened communities until the court rules on the case. 

The sprawling CP2 project, proposed by Virginia-based company Venture Global, would consist of an 85.4-mile gas pipeline to connect the LNG export facility to a pipeline carrying methane gas from eastern Texas, which would impact over 1,800 acres of land. It’s set to be constructed in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, an area already overburdened by industrial pollution. Fishermen whose families have fished the waters of the Gulf Coast for generations fear the project will bring about the ultimate collapse of their industry, which is vital to both the local economy and their way of life.   

Without a stay, FERC could grant Venture Global permission to begin construction at any time, subjecting commercial fishermen and communities to catastrophic and permanent losses. In their motion, Petitioners highlight that once construction begins, the increased marine traffic, pollution, dredging, and habitat destruction will irreversibly damage the area and their communities.  

“Our way of life is hanging by a thread. The construction of another LNG terminal would be the nail in the coffin for us,” said Travis Dardar, fisherman and member of Fishermen Involved in Sustaining Our Heritage. “We are asking the Court to give us a fighting chance, even if it hasn’t often granted stays in cases under the Natural Gas Act. Without a stay, we won’t survive.” 

“Our communities will be devastated if Venture Global is allowed to continue this project,” said James Hiatt, Director of For a Better Bayou. “The Court must prioritize the needs of consumers, local industry, vulnerable communities, and the environment over the pockets of industry actors. CP2 will cause irreparable damage to our way of life, our environment, and threaten our historic culture.” 

“We urgently need a stay,” said Megan Gibson, Senior Attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center. “FERC has failed in its duty to approve projects in the public interest, and to protect consumers, communities, and ecosystems. The continued destruction of these fragile coastal areas through the construction of this export project would permanently displace commercial fishermen and devastate local environmental justice communities. The irreversible harm far outweighs any private benefit Venture Global seeks from this project.” 

This motion comes in the wake of numerous legal and environmental challenges to FERC’s permitting process, which opponents argue has overlooked critical environmental and economic impacts. Petitioners are urging the Court to take immediate action to prevent the destruction of the local economy, culture, and environment before it is too late.