Sierra Club Alerts FERC of Illegal Construction Violations at Driftwood LNG, Tellurian’s Fracked Gas Export Facility

Lake Charles, LA - Fossil fuel company Tellurian recently revealed in an official video that the company is committing major construction violations, such as driving approximately 4000 piles while only authorized to drive 26 test piles. Sierra Club filed a formal complaint to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) who authorized Driftwood LNG’s initial on-site activities but has not authorized such expansive action.

In addition to driving about 4000 piles - long bars of concrete hammered into the ground by a crane -, drone footage provided by Tellurian showed that Driftwood LNG has also already poured foundations for compressor stations, the infrastructure where fracked methane gas is supercooled into a liquid for transport. While Driftwood LNG requested authorization in August for increased pile driving and laying foundations for compressor stations, FERC never approved their request.

FERC only approved Driftwood LNG’s construction for: roughly 26 test piles; "site preparation activities,” such as clearing vegetation and grading, demolishing existing site buildings and infrastructure, beginning dry excavation, preparing pioneer docks and an marine offloading facility, and dredging of the marine berths; and laying piping.

With the capacity to export 27,600,000 tons of fracked gas per year, Driftwood LNG is slated to become one of Southwest Louisiana’s biggest fracked gas export terminals and a major polluter. Driftwood LNG is just one of six of export terminals and expansion projects proposed in Southwest Louisiana, a region already overburdened with industry and pollution, making the cumulative impacts of Driftwood LNG much more harmful than either FERC or Tellurian admits. FERC just approved Commonwealth LNG for construction in Southwest Louisiana, saying that it would not significantly impact environmental justice communities, ignoring the many other polluting facilities that exist nearby and the several more proposed or under construction, such as Driftwood LNG. 

Tellurian’s Driftwood LNG continues to face other major legal and financial challenges. Earlier this year, Shell abandoned its investment in Driftwood LNG after Tellurian lost a $1 billion bond sale. Additionally, Driftwood LNG faces a tremendous amount of opposition from local community members, from mothers concerned for their children’s futures to fishermen who want to protect their way of life. 

James Hiatt, Southwest Louisiana Coordinator with Louisiana Bucket Brigade, said:

"Driftwood LNG hasn't secured enough investments to declare a final investment decision, even 7 months after they began "construction." It now appears that Driftwood LNG is performing work outside the scope of their current permits. What is the purpose of even having permits when there is no little oversight and virtually no consequences for doing work that is not fully permitted? Where are the agencies that are responsible for issuing these permits and what enforceable actions will deter others from doing whatever they feel like? Who is checking to make sure that these companies are in compliance with the permit limits?  No more slaps on the wrist for bully-industries and their bad faith actions - their arrogance and disdain for the community they want to be a part of shows their true sole purpose is one thing: profit." 

Natalie McLendon, a local Southwest Louisiana resident and activist, said:

“Driftwood recently drained a lake on their site and damaged countless acres of wetlands. We used to fish and boat at this site - we used to go there to watch sunsets over the water. That’s all gone - Tellurian took it away from us. Driftwood LNG won’t get built - they don’t have the investors and the contracts, and their desperate attempt to appear legitimate is harming our community, environment, and way of life.  

Tom Gosselin, attorney with Sierra Club’s Beyond Dirty Fuels Campaign, said: 

“Driftwood LNG cannot be allowed to brazenly flout FERC's authority by lawlessly doing activities that harm communities and the environment. FERC must act immediately to ensure that Driftwood stops and FERC's authority is maintained.”