Louisiana LNG expansion races ahead under emergency permit, threatening wetlands

A liquefied natural gas terminal near New Orleans is seeking to double its footprint under a fast-tracked federal permitting process tied to a declared energy emergency. The $18 billion expansion could damage up to 470 acres of wetlands and river bottoms in a parish that has already lost hundreds of square miles to coastal erosion. Environmental groups warn that the shortened public comment period and reduced scrutiny will worsen the region's land-loss crisis.

The expansion would make the terminal the largest LNG export facility in North America, according to its owner, Venture Global. The project joins more than 30 LNG terminals under construction or proposed nationwide, with Louisiana currently hosting four operational facilities, including two owned by the same company.

Plaquemines Parish has already lost over 250 square miles to subsidence, sea level rise, and erosion, with state projections suggesting another 300 square miles could vanish within five decades. The Army Corps identified more than 600 energy projects eligible for expedited review under the emergency declaration, which the administration tied to military and economic energy reliability needs.