Public comment begins for contested Commonwealth LNG permit

Public comment has begun for a contested Commonwealth LNG permit tied to new coastal work in Louisiana’s Johnson Bayou area. Houston-based Caturus Energy filed for a state coastal use permit to convert about 5 miles from the company’s proposed liquefied natural gas export site into a 5.35-acre park-and-ride lot for construction crews. The notice filed July 5 says the project would clear and excavate the property along Highway 82, supporting transport for up to 2,000 workers to the Commonwealth LNG construction site in Cameron Parish. The coastal strip has become a legal flashpoint as environmental groups challenge multibillion-dollar LNG terminals. In October, Judge Penelope Richard vacated the prior coastal use permit, citing failure to analyze cumulative climate impacts with five nearby LNG facilities, prompting revisions.