Unauthorized Pollution and Filling of Waterways Associated with Gas Export Project Hurts Gulf Coast Shrimpers and Wildlife

On behalf of For a Better Bayou, a local environmental advocacy organization, Earthjustice has formally requested that federal and state regulators initiate immediate enforcement action in response to apparent unauthorized dredged material discharges into No Name Bayou and Calcasieu Lake.

The sediment discharges appear associated with export terminal project. Reports say Venture Global acknowledged responsibility for what it called “leaks” of dredged materials in the area.

The muddy sludge has had significant impacts on No Name Bayou and Calcasieu Lake including blocking navigation routes and, according to fishermen in a local news report, it has “buried crab traps, oyster beds, and killed wildlife in the area.” The area is adjacent to Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge. The cause of the incident appears to be a so-called “beneficial” mitigation project run amok, i.e. a harmful mess instead of “mitigation” for permits to dredge out an area miles away by the CP2 LNG construction site use.

Local fishermen first identified the discharges and fill in the local waterways, sounding the alarm almost two weeks before seeing any action to limit the discharge. According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, inshore shrimp season began on August 11, 2025.

“It’s always something,” says Keith McCauley, Cameron fisherman. “They’re going to kill our estuary. It’s a shame.”

The letter sent to Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requests immediate enforcement actions, including “to issue a Cease and Desist Order, require corrective measures, and take other appropriate actions.”

“We cannot continue to allow these sloppy industrial shortcuts to destroy the ecosystems we all rely on,” says James Hiatt, Director of For a Better Bayou. “There is no excuse—this completely preventable situation is a serious threat to our coastal environment and community. This company has a responsibility to our community to be transparent and expedient in the cleanup and remediation of our wetlands and fisheries.”

“We hope that the agencies in charge of protecting our waters and coastal areas take this incident seriously,” says Elizabeth Livingston de Calderon, senior attorney for Earthjustice. “State and federal regulators should act without delay so that local fisheries have the best chance of recovery, fishermen can get back to work, and people can use the waterways.”