In the small coastal community of Cameron, Louisiana, the once‑quiet shrimping waters are now dominated by massive construction cranes, rusted barges and a sprawling liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility. Venture Global, a Virginia‑based energy company, broke ground on the Calcasieu Pass LNG plant in August 2019. The first phase, Calcasieu Pass 1 (CP1), is now fully operational, cooling methane to –260°F and feeding it into the 24‑mile TransCameron Pipeline that runs beneath the Gulf Coast.
Local fishermen feel the impact
Veteran shrimpers Brian DeBarge, Anthony “Tad” Theriot and longtime friend Philip Dyson watch the horizon from Theriot’s 65‑foot boat, noting how the constant flow of construction traffic has altered the estuary they have depended on for generations. “I just don’t know how much these people think we can take,” DeBarge told Atmos. The trio describes a landscape where dust from cement work settles on the water, barges pull water away from shrimp habitats and the once‑rich oyster beds have been eroded.
These fishermen, whose families have fished the Gulf for decades, report financial hardship. Where shrimpers once earned six‑figure incomes that funded college tuition for their children, many now struggle to afford health care and groceries, relying on credit cards. Rising fuel prices force them to travel farther offshore to find productive waters, further squeezing already thin margins.
Economic promises versus lived reality
Venture Global holds a Department of Energy permit to export more than 640 billion cubic feet of LNG per year from the Calcasieu Pass facilities. The company touts LNG as a cleaner‑burning fuel that can help meet European emission‑reduction goals while delivering economic benefits to the United States. CP1 occupies 432 acres—equivalent to over 327 football fields—and includes two berths for large LNG carriers capable of hauling 185,000 cubic meters of gas at a time. The second phase, CP2, is under construction and is projected to be more than two and a half times the size of CP1.
While the plant promises jobs and tax revenue, many local residents feel left out of the conversation. Shrimpers say their testimony at Cameron Parish Police Jury meetings has had little effect. “Do they take advice from shrimpers? No,” Theriot said. “If you need a tire changed, you go to a tire man. If you need a doctor, you go to a doctor. If you want to know something about shrimp, you have to ask a shrimp‑er who’s been doing this his whole life.”
Environmental and community concerns
The Gulf’s delicate estuary supports shrimp, crabs, oysters, menhaden and larger fish such as redfish. Historically, Cameron’s port was a national leader in fish landings, moving 679 million pounds of seafood in 1984. Overfishing, by‑catch and controversial gill‑netting practices have already strained the ecosystem. Now, the added barge traffic and pipeline construction are seen as further threats.
Veteran fisherman Eddie LeJuine, who began selling shrimp at age ten, explains how barges disrupt shrimp behavior. “When a barge goes by, it pulls all that water away, and their security is gone. The shrimp bury themselves in the mud to protect themselves,” he said.
Looking ahead
More than half of Cameron’s population has moved away since 2000, citing economic troubles, extreme weather and the changing landscape. The fishermen hope for greater inclusion in future planning and for policies that protect the estuary that sustains their families. As the LNG plant continues to expand, the tension between national energy ambitions and local livelihoods remains a pressing issue for this Gulf Coast community.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
