Louisiana Reinstates Commonwealth LNG Permit After Court-Ordered Review

Louisiana’s Office of Coastal Management has reissued the Commonwealth LNG coastal use permit after an extensive environmental justice and wetlands impact review, finding the project’s public benefits outweigh its environmental costs.

(P&GJ) — Louisiana’s Office of Coastal Management (OCM) has formally reissued the coastal use permit for the Commonwealth LNG export facility in Cameron Parish, clearing the project to move forward following an extensive reassessment of its environmental and community impacts.

The updated decision—issued Nov. 18, 2025, as part of OCM’s Revised Basis of Decision—follows a state court order vacating the previous permit over insufficient review of climate and cumulative impacts. The new analysis concluded that “the project’s social and economic benefits outweigh environmental costs” and that the permitting process satisfied federal environmental justice standards.

According to the report, regulators reviewed environmental justice (EJ) impacts as outlined in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), which identified potential effects on wetlands, social patterns, fishing industries, and storm-surge protection in nearby communities.

The decision states that “the public’s contribution has influenced the permitting authority’s decision” and that community concerns were incorporated into the review process. OCM wrote that it sought to ensure no group “bears a disproportionate share of negative environmental consequences resulting from the permitted activities due to race, color, national origin, or income.”

The updated permit includes specific conditions for managing stormwater discharge, protecting wetlands, and monitoring endangered species. OCM confirmed it accepted FERC’s assessment that the project would “likely adversely affect” the Eastern Black Rail, but that impacts were not expected to jeopardize the species’ survival. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Biological Opinion supported that conclusion.

The permit also mandates that Commonwealth operate a Water Control Structure (WCS) under a state-monitored adaptive management plan. The company must report marsh hydrology data—including salinity, tidal range, and water elevation—every six months for the first two years of operation. If monitoring indicates damage to local wetlands, OCM can require remediation.

The decision found the project provides “direct benefits to communities in Cameron and Calcasieu parishes,” citing construction employment, long-term operations jobs, and tax revenue. Commonwealth LNG estimates 800 workers per month during construction, peaking at 2,000, with an additional 3,689 secondary jobs supported in the region. The company expects to distribute $234 million in payroll over the 36–38 month construction period, with Louisiana collecting more than $2 million in state sales tax.

The permit requires compliance with air, water, and waste regulations, coordination with cultural and wildlife agencies, and stipulates that all project structures must be removed within 120 days of abandonment. Pipelines must maintain at least three feet of cover below water crossings, and any maintenance that affects that depth will require a new permit.

With the revised permit reinstated, Commonwealth LNG may proceed toward construction pending final regulatory clearances. The project represents one of several LNG export facilities planned along Louisiana’s Gulf Coast, underscoring the region’s growing role in global natural gas supply and carbon management.