Texan Nonprofits Sue FERC for Approving LNG Terminal and Pipeline

Texan Nonprofits Sue FERC for Approving LNG Terminal and Pipeline

Groups ask FERC to better evaluate the air pollution impacts of the TX project

Contacts

Alexandria Trimble, Earthjustice, [email protected]

Today, a coalition of Texan nonprofits and the City of Port Isabel sued the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)for approving the Rio Grande LNG terminal and Rio Bravo pipeline.

The groups assert that the project's projected air pollution will significantly harm public health in the surrounding communities, and challenge FERC's inadequate analysis of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) plans at the LNG facility. FERC's evaluation of the project is inconsistent with the National Environmental Policy Act and the Natural Gas Act.

"FERC's job isn't to approve whatever the applicant wants- it should weigh public interest, health impacts, and protecting the environment," said Nathan Matthews, Senior Attorney at Earthjustice. "What is best for the public isn't whatever Rio Grande LNG changes its mind to at any given moment."

"Our coalition has had to repeatedly sue the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission because the regulator has never addressed the destruction and harm that Rio Grande LNG would cause to our low-income community's public health and wildlife habitat," said Bekah Hinojosa, co-founder of South Texas Environmental Justice Network. "If Rio Grande LNG is allowed to continue and expand its dangerous fossil fuel facility, it would be the biggest polluter in the Rio Grande Valley, spewing toxic particulate matter, smog, cancer-causing pollutants, and pollutants that worsen climate change."

"Once again, the FERC is not doing a full environmental review nor consultation with our Tribe, doing everything they can to give the LNG companies anything they want at the expense of our Tribe and our people," said Juan Mancias, Tribal chairman of the Esto'k Gna Tribal Nation."FERC and the LNG companies have never consulted with the Esto'k Gna Tribal Nation about the destruction they are doing to Native lands and our sacred sites. We will do everything we can to protect the remains of our ancestors and wildlife habitat and endangered species."

"Rio Grande LNG is wreaking havoc on the local environment and threatening our air, water, and local sacred sites," said Roddy Hughes, Organizing Strategist from the Sierra Club."It is shocking that FERC and the company continue to fail to fully analyze these impacts and do all they can to protect local communities. FERC must exercise its authority and finally put people over corporate profits."

The plaintiffs previously filed a rehearing request in September 2025petitioning FERC to rescind its approval of the LNG terminal and pipeline. FERC has not ruled on the rehearing request, therefore the plaintiffs challenged FERC in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Earthjustice filed the challenge on behalf of the South Texas Environmental Justice Network and Sierra Club, and alongside the City of Port Isabel.

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