Bisecting Our Wetlands

This past week, I have been reviewing and drafting comments on a permit request that Creole Trail LNG and Cheniere Creole Trail Pipeline has submitted to the Army Corps of Engineers, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, and Louisiana Department of Natural Resources in order to build the largest capacity liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in North America. Now in past blogs I know you have heard many arguments against LNG terminals. Since this facility would be on the land (3 miles from the Gulf, on Lake Calcasieu, LA), it would have to use the closed-loop technology that we have been pushing for off-shore facilities (see our website for more on off-shore LNG issues). The problems arise when you ask the question: "what do you do with the natural gas once it is off-loaded at the terminal?" According to the permit application, the answer is: "Build a 116 mile pipeline, destroying 233.25 acres of wetlands."

Is this the price we pay for living in the "Energy Coast?" Currently Louisiana is trying to secure what will be billions of dollars to repair the damage that Katrina and Rita caused to the entire Louisiana coast. What kind of message would Louisiana and the Corps be sending if they approve this permit? Keep in mind how I mentioned in my last entry that the Corps approves 97% of the permits requested. We learned the hard way what coastal wetland costs us. Money, habitat loss, human suffering...

This pipeline is not only proposed to cut through hundreds of acres of wetlands, but also at least a dozen water bodies. Two of these rivers (Barnes Creek and Calcasieu River) slated to be bisected are identified as Natural and Scenic Rivers by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Additionally, the Calcasieu River is also classified by the LDEQ as an Outstanding Natural Resource Water. According to Louisiana's Water Quality Standards, "no degradation shall be allowed in high-quality waters that constitute outstanding natural resources, such as waters in the Louisiana Natural and Scenic Rivers System or waters of ecological significance." As a part of the permitting process, LDEQ does a Water Quality Certification, which should take into account any detrimental effects the project might have on water quality, so we are urging LDEQ to reject this permit on the above basis. But, LDEQ has permitted egregious wetland projects in the past.

So, based on the information available to me, this LNG terminal and pipeline is not a good idea for any reason that I can see...now multiply these effects by 12. There are 12 LNG facilities operating, approved, or proposed throughout coastal Louisiana and the Gulf. Simply put, we need to make sure that our government--from the Corps, to state agencies, to local councils--is consistent in its message of coastal restoration and hurricane protection. Louisiana and the rest of the United States needs our wetlands on the coast to be healthy, growing, and protected. We can't be spending millions of dollars to restore our storm surge-absorbing wetlands, only to permit them to be destroyed by energy companies and developers.

Matt Rota is the GRN's Assistant Director of the Water Resources Program